A Thief's Game
by octopus woman
Summary: Five years ago something had happened. Five years ago ties had been made and alliances had been broken. Five years ago there was more to the story. What happens when ghosts resurface in all too real ways? What happens when love once lost, reappears. ROMY. Highly AU. Rated M for adult themes, content and language. ON HIATUS. :'(
1. A Chance Encounter

**A/N: So this has been a dream in my head for a while that I needed to put on paper (or internet) anyways I hope ya'll like it because I absolutely love the idea and as always PLEASE REVIEW! K that's all enjoy the ROMY goodness! :D**

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><p>If she had known that this was how her day was going to go she would have never gone with Kitty to the mall. The last place she wanted to be was there, but this wasn't the first time she would have to oblige her friend and while she loathed shopping and the hordes of people that came with going to the mall, the look on Kitty's face when she said she would join her was enough to keep Anna going throughout a day filled with changing rooms, dressing rooms, and annoying store clerks.<p>

"OMG ANNA!" squealed Kitty as she rushed into a store looking at a soft, jade green knit top. "This would like totally look AMAZING on you!"

Anna tried not to look unenthused. Kitty had been trying to give her a makeover for the past five years. Sure Anna had given in once or twice when Kitty demanded she stop wearing such dark and 'mopey' clothing as she would always deem it, but Anna preferred her masses of black long sleeve t-shirts and tight dark wash jeans. They were the only thing she felt comfortable in.

Anna stared at the beautiful knit top. It was definitely not something she would purchase, not now. It was the type of top that would hug her every curve and expose her in a light that she didn't want to be held up to. She rolled her eyes at Kitty and smirked.

"Come on Kitty, ya really think Ah'm gonna where that?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why not Anna, you'd look like, totally hot in it," Kitty stomped as she said the words, the many bags in her hands jiggling from the motion.

"Because no one wants ta see me in that, so what's the use of," Anna stooped over and looked at the price tag. "Of spending a shit ton of money on something Ah'm not gonna wear."

"Uh sometimes you are no fun at all," Kitty chided before taking the knit top in her hand and putting her hand around Anna's wrist.

"What are ya doin'?" Anna asked as Kitty proceeded to drag her into the nearest dressing room.

"You are going to at least try it on."

Anna was stuck inside a tiny room with a curtain for a door and a much too large mirror for her liking. She didn't want to strip down in here, she felt exposed and caged all at the same time.

"Kitty Ah don't-"

"You're trying it on Anna so you might as well hop to it," Kitty said slightly annoyed but trying to stifle a laugh.

Anna growled. She hated clothes shopping. She stared in the mirror and rolled her eyes. This was not the way she wanted to spend her Saturday. She pulled her shirt up and over her head, she had forgotten how different she looked like this. It had been a while since she had examined herself like this. The scars on her arms weren't as visible as they once were but she could still see the ones on her hips, and the large one that ran across the tops of her breasts.

Anna shivered in the dressing room. She took a deep breath. This was the reason she didn't like clothes shopping or wearing revealing clothing. Too many questions. Kitty was lucky she knew about this already or else Ann would have been even angrier, she gave her friend the benefit of the doubt. For some reason she thought the scars weren't there. Maybe they were just in Anna's head.

Taking the knit top off the hanger, Anna pulled it on and examined herself in the mirror. It was a beautiful top and it did hug her every curve. The bust area was a sway the supported her perfectly despite her large breasts. But it cut a little low, showing a patch of alabaster flesh just above her jeans. It was tight at her waist accentuating her hips and the tiny mid section of her torso. She frowned. She definitely could not wear this.

"Ah can't wear this Kitty," Anna pleaded from behind the curtain, her eyes still transfixed on the mirror.

"Come on, like, let me see," Kitty demanded.

Anna turned around with a sigh and exited the dressing room. Kitty literally jumped up and down and screamed, again.

"OMG Anna, you look so like gorgeous!" she shouted.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Ah can't wear it though Kitty," she was quiet in her protests.

"Well we are just going to like, have to get a second opinion," Kitty stated as she once again dragged Anna out of the dressing room and onto the floor of the store.

Anna was getting very irritated. This was the last place she wanted to be, wearing the last thing she wanted wear, and now Kitty was going to humiliate her by showing her off to the public. She gave her the benefit of the doubt before but now she started to think that Kitty was set on torturing her.

"Come on let's ask him," Kitty said as she pulled Anna to a nearby shopper with his back turned to them.

Anna protested trying to get Kitty to let go but the girl had her in a death grip. Just as she pulled her wrist away and began to turn to flee the man turned around and all help was lost, she had seen him and he had seen her and now they…well they couldn't do anything but stare.

The man was tall, about six foot two, with shaggy cropped auburn hair that hung lightly in his eyes and a body that just screamed sin. And there were those eyes breathing taking, blood red irises set against a sea of black. The eyes that Anna had been dreaming about for the past five years of her life. The eyes that had encompassed her in their demon like stare before. She could have sworn she had died and met her maker.

He stared at her. Was she really standing in front of him? It couldn't be her, she was so different, so much older, so…gorgeous. Her emerald green orbs widened at the sight of him and he could barely contain himself because he was positive his every sinew was begging him to take her there and now without any hesitation. The way she looked at him with those eyes, lighting up her alabaster skin. He was in heaven.

"Um excuse me like sir, but can you help us. I'm trying to convince my friend-" Kitty began but stopped midsentence. She was utterly confused.

"Rogue is it really you?" he asked his velvet voice sending shivers up Anna's spine. She couldn't help the sudden smile that had bubbled up to her lips.

She wanted to hate him, but seeing him there in front of her, looking like he did, looking at her like he was. She couldn't help but smile, and hope and she knew that was the worst thing she could do.

"Heya Gambit," she didn't know what else to say. He watched her plump red lips say his name and his mind became a torrent of dirty, sinful, beautiful thoughts. He needed her.

"Do you guys like know each other?" Kitty asked; she was still standing there, a dumbfounded look on her face.

Anna shook her head. She had forgotten that Kitty was standing next to her, or that they were in a boutique in the mall, or that she had been anywhere except inside those haunting eyes.

"Oh um how rude of me. Kitty this is Gam- Ah mean Remy, Remy LeBeau an old friend of mah brother's," Anna stated carefully watching Remy's reaction to her voice and her well thought out words.

Kitty's eyes widened at Anna's explanation. This was the last person she'd expect to be meeting, or that he was the literal depiction of sex on a stick. She realized that Anna hadn't been exaggerating when she had told her about him those five years ago.

"Gambit, this is mah best friend, Kitty Pryde," Anna said never taking her eyes away from Remy's.

Remy nodded his head before taking Kitty's hand and shaking it gently. He had to be courteous, had to be nice, if only to secure a conversation with Anna.

"Nice ta meet ya, cherie," Remy said as he turned back to Anna. "So what pray tell, may Remy help ya two fine ladies wit?"

Anna shivered. She had forgotten she was wearing the revealing knit top, or that she was in the middle of a store yet again. He made her mind go fuzzy.

"Oh well I was just like trying to like convince Anna here to like get this top," Kitty said between glances between Remy and Anna. She was totally enthralled with the situation, it reminded her of her favorite soap opera, _Days Filled with Passion. _

Remy raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Well a belle fille like ya, Roguey, ya look tres magnifique in anyt'ing, but dis shirt," his eyes roamed her perfectly cupped breasts and the way the fabric accentuated her milky skin and tiny form. He let out a hiss of breath that only Anna could hear. "Dis shirt be perfection, non."

Anna had to stop herself from swooning. She was supposed to loathe him and every word that came out of his mouth was just setting her heart a flutter. She hated herself more than him.

"Well then it's settled Anna, we have to like buy it," Kitty giggled. "It was nice meeting you, Remy."

Kitty was set to turn around and pull Anna to the cash register when Remy spoke.

"Can we 'ave a moment, cherie, Remy just wanna catch up a bit wit Roguey, 'ere," Remy said in his most debonair voice and giving Kitty such a dazzling smile that she couldn't help but give into his request.

"Okay, I'll be right over here if you like need anything," Kitty said before walking to the lingerie section. She needed to get something extra special for Lance.

Anna was nervous; she started fiddling with her hair. The last time her and Remy had had a conversation was five years ago, when he promised something to her. She wondered idly if he planned on keeping his promises.

"So how 'ave ya been mon chere," Remy asked. He didn't know how to start. He hadn't stopped thinking about her for the past five years.

"Fine, and ya. How's ya wife, Bella Donna isn't it?" Anna said scathingly. She could finally let go five years worth of aggression. She seethed behind her emerald green eyes; Remy's red on black ones flared.

"We're not married," Remy stated simply. "How'd ya find out anyways?"

"Ya and John may not be on speaking terms anymore but ya still run in the same crowd, makes it hard not ta know what's goin' on wit ya," Anna drawled as she pulled her hands into the pockets of her jeans and rocked on her heels.

"Pyro neva was one ta keep secrets," Remy muttered. He couldn't help but stare at her, she was so beautiful. "I be fine by de way."

"And the kid, how's he," Anna gritted her teeth waiting for the response. She wanted to hurt him but was only really hurting herself.

"Well informed ya be chere. Julien be a right good chil', love 'im like he was my own," Remy shared quietly.

"Ya mean-" Anna was shocked.

"Yeah cherie, he not Remy's but didn't stop me from falling in love wit 'im," Remy stated plainly. Julien was Bella's son from an affair she had had long ago. He hated Belle for it but could not blame the child. He was the only thing that kept their upcoming nuptials together. "Guess ya not as informed as I t'ought." He smiled.

"Well that's good fa ya Gambit, ya always said ya wanted a big family," Anna commented fakely. Her heart sang for a moment at the thought of him not being the father, but then she remembered he loved another. She let herself fall back into the common place of deep and bitter resentment.

"Why'd ya introduce me as Remy?"

Anna looked up, his brow was furrowed as if in deep contemplation, like it had been the day she had told him about what she would do, when Raven left her yet again, when Erik forgot she was his daughter, when John was too busy with his life to worry about his sister. She shivered. That had been a long time ago.

"That's your name isn't it Cajun?" Anna said trying to sound irritated.

"Ya neva called me dat before," Remy said sadly. "Still don't apparently."

"Ah don't understand why it matters," Anna said getting a little loud.

"Ya right cherie it doesn't dis Cajun just wonderin' is all. It really was nice runnin' in ta ya Rougey, I've missed ya," Remy confessed.

Anna looked up into his eyes. He was being sincere, she could tell, the way his irises burned, almost seemed to glow, it was the only way she could tell when he was telling the truth. The only way she knew he was being Remy and not Gambit.

"Well ya haven't made much of an effort ta keep up with me. So that's nothing but words is it," Anna bit back. She hated him.

Remy had to stop himself from getting angry. How dare she say such a thing to him? He done nothing but love her since the moment she told him about…And now she was here telling him he didn't care, telling him that he didn't give a damn about her. She drove him to the deepest depths of insanity sometimes.

"Ya be crazy if ya t'ink dat Rogue. Ya know why I haven't been able ta-"

"Don't give me the bullshit Gambit, we both know that if ya really wanted ta ya could have contacted me. Ya were a coward is all," Anna crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes burning ever brighter with the anger that was now coming off of her in waves.

"When me and John split, it made t'ings difficult, or don't ya remember," Remy said with a tone of indignance. When he was angry he was smoldering.

"No Ah wouldn't. Haven't talked ta John in three years. Not since-"

"Not since ya started school at Xavier's," Remy interrupted.

Anna was shocked. How did he know that? No one knew where she was, not even Raven or Erik. She had told no one when she left. It was her life that she had finally decided she wanted to start living.

"How did ya know about-"

"Jus' heard 'bout it," Remy said staring down at his shoes. He was older than her, he knew his boundaries, knew when and how he should treat a girl like her, she just made it difficult for him sometimes.

Anna relinquished. He had her heart, soul, and now she couldn't be angry at him. He had told her everything before, five years ago. Had explained, had left, had promised and now he was right, he had kept it. She couldn't hate him. He knew what he had done and she realized she would never have a reason to really hate him other than for the fact that he truly loved her.

"Meant ta send ya something fa ya birthday but thought maybe ya wouldn't want it," he stared into her eyes again, he was practically mesmerized. "How 'bout I buy ya dat shirt an' we call it even, non?"

Anna blushed and tried to hold back a smile. He knew how to play her like some sort of instrument. Knew the way to get her to come out of her shell, to show every facet of her personality that no one else had ever seen before. He knew her.

"Ah don't think Ah should get it," Anna said playing with her hair once again, trying to use it to shield herself. "It's a little too revealing, Ah don't want people ta see…"

Anna looked down at her wrist. She could see every off white line, every raised mark on her skin and it made her feel naked, more nude than if she had been standing there with not clothes on. She closed her eyes and desperately searched for the right words to explain how she felt. To make him understand why she couldn't get this damn shirt.

Remy grasped one of Anna's wrists. Her eyes fluttered open in that second to meet his. His eyes were heavily lidded and his hair brushed into his eyes in a way that made Anna swoon. She let out a gust of breath as his face inched nearer to hers. He couldn't, he wasn't supposed to, they were not allowed, he was her brother's best friend…was…He pulled her wrist upward turning it gently over to examine one of the marks. He ran the pads of his fingers gingerly over the many marks scattered across her skin. Anna was in heaven. Finally bringing her wrist up to his face he let out a breath that overtook Anna as waves of shivers raced down her every nerve ending. And then his lips were on her skin, hot and soft and rough and perfect.

"Ya beautiful wit dem, because dey are a part of ya," Remy spoke against her skin.

He stood back up and for a moment all Anna could do was stare at his face and try to commit it to memory, she was sure this was a dream, sure that never again would she see this phantom like man who had stolen her heart five years ago.


	2. Thinking of Ya

"So that was the infamous Gambit," Kitty commented as the girls finally parted ways with Remy and headed towards Anna's car.

"Yeah that was him," Anna said listlessly as she searched for her bright metallic green '67 Mustang. It was the most precious thing she owned, the only thing she truly loved, and was the only thing that Kitty made fun of her for. She always said that Anna sounded like a boy when she would talk about her car.

"You never said that he was essentially like the walking definition of sex on a stick," Kitty mentioned idly as her and Anna took their seats in her car and proceeded to head out of the mall parking lot.

Anna shrugged. "Was neva sure if it was jus' me or if he really was as hot as Ah thought him ta be. He looks different though, grown up."

"Did it hurt to see him again?" Kitty asked as Anna drove down the streets. She tried to keep her mind on the road but in all reality all Anna could think about was what had just transpired in that store in the mall.

"Ah really don't know. It was hard seeing him again, but Ah don't know if it hurt as much as Ah thought it would. Don't get me wrong it hurt, but not in the way Ah thought it would," Anna responded looking over at Kitty who was fiddling with the tag on the indigo lace panties she had just bought. Anna rolled her eyes.

"Well maybe you guys can start something up, huh," Kitty said raising her eyebrows and smirking widely as she pulled out the matching bra and placed it against her own chest examining it in the passenger mirror.

"He has a wife and a kid, Kitty, Ah doubt that we're gonna have a relationship," Anna scolded as they pulled into the mansion's grounds.

"You never know, that's like what I used to think about me and like Lance and look how that like turned out," Kitty said smiling widely at her best friend. Sometimes she just didn't understand how the heart worked; maybe that's why Kitty always had to tell her.

"Yeah sure, Sugah, whateva ya say," Anna drawled as she pulled into her parking space at the institute.

Once inside Kitty and Anna parted ways, Kitty had to get ready for a date with Lance and Anna had to go up to her room and wallow in her sad life. She didn't understand it. Why was she so focused on guys that would never, ever love her? The first time it was Remy, who was she kidding the only time it was Remy. She had been in love with the man named Gambit for what seemed like the whole of her life. She thought back to five years ago; the day he left; they day he promised he would be back. It took five years for her to see him again.

_**Five Years Prior**_

Anna Marie 'Rogue' Darkholme-Lensherr. She hated her name. Loathed it even. It was too long, made no sense and why her parents had decided they were going to hyphenate it and put her nickname into her legal name she had no idea. Just because someone says it would be a good idea if you made your kids nickname their real name doesn't mean you have to go along with it. Her parents were all about impressions, so they thought Rogue was a great way of making sure everyone knew who she was, the sad part was that everyone knew her only as Rogue. She began to think that no one would ever know her real name, or if they would care if she told them.

She lay in bed on the morning her life was supposed to change and couldn't think of anything besides the fact that she didn't want to get out of her bed. Didn't want to face the day, or the trillions of people that were going to be bombarding her with 'hello's' and 'happy birthday's' all things she didn't want to hear. It was her goddamn birthday why couldn't her parents just give her a break; she didn't want to meet up with thousands of strangers just so they could get farther in their political circle.

Rogue's father, Erik was one of the best politicians on the west coast, a senator with a heart of gold as many called him. A man with an air of chivalry, dominance and propriety that made women swoon and men want to follow him, possibly even die for him. To say her father was made for politics was an understatement, the fact of the matter was that politics was made for him, or at least Erik liked to think so. Her mother on the other hand, was the perfect first lady. She morphed to fit any situation Erik threw at her. Raven Darkholme could be the educated, issue conscious and active participant could be the smiling, housewife, rearing three children, could be the arm candy that Erik needed at various galas and balls. Raven could be whatever the photo caption needed her to be and Erik loved her for it. He always said his biggest asset in his business was a wife like Raven, she had the mystique to be the woman for any job he needed done and then some.

So it was no wonder that after numerous talks and fights and squabbles amongst the family that Rogue would have to suffer through her fifteenth birthday as her father went through the whole family man spiel with the real motive of garnering a few more supporters from fortune 500 businessmen with enough cash to line his pockets and then some.

Rogue hid her head underneath her pillow as her alarm clock blared in the background, urging her to wake up and face the horrendous day in store. Rogue let out a primal growl before chucking the alarm clock against the far wall and watching it smash into tiny little pieces. She knew she had woken up her neighbor but she didn't care, she couldn't handle this day, not now, not after what her parents were threatening to let happen on a day that was supposed to be hers. She just wanted to run, for the first time she even contemplated it seriously.

Before she knew it there was a rough knock at her door and she rolled her eyes. She had definitely woken up her neighbor and now she would have to deal with the repercussions. Rogue sat up in her bed and waited for the doorknob to turn, it took a moment as there was another light knock and then the door proceeded to open, albeit slowly. Rogue was surprised at who she saw on the other side of the door and immediately tried to hide the blush that was spreading across her cheeks.

A pair of red on black orbs peeked from behind the door and Rogue did all she could to keep from hiding her head underneath the covers. Remy Lebeau had just entered her room, well at least his head had. She could not believe it. This had to be a dream, or maybe a birthday wish come true because never before had she ever remembered him being so bold as to open the door to her one and only sanctuary.

Remy had thought something was wrong; a loud thump at 5:30 in the morning was not a commonplace occurrence in any home, let alone the home of a senator and his pristine family. He didn't know if he should but he figured if something had happened he would have to investigate, John obviously wasn't getting up any time soon, not after the night he had had. Remy snuck down the hallway to the door at the end and after knocking and allowing ample time for the owner to get decent he opened the door peeking his eyes around the bend. He could have sworn he swallowed his tongue.

Rogue sat completely straight in her bed, the covers pulled up just above her chest, her chestnut tresses mussed and beautifully wavy set around her face, the white streaks framing her angular jaw in a way that could only be described as sinful, with her wide green orbs gleaming in the dim light of the room. Remy thought idly if she had any clothing on underneath those covers because the way she clutched at them reminded him of the way the other women (many other women) had sought to cover themselves when their lovers (the real ones, not the one night stand he was) were caught in the act. He felt the sudden pang of disgusting guilt hit his stomach as he pulled his eyes away from the young girl sitting on her bed with a face that expressed both wonderment and confusion, hope and angst and he couldn't stop himself from feeling like he was some kind of sick pervert for looking at her at all. He had never thought of her in anyway, she was Rogue, she was practically his sister. They weren't allowed to see each other this way, especially since…

"Gambit is that ya?" Rogue drawled sleepily, desperately trying to hide the happiness in her voice.

Remy Lebeau for one of the first times in his life, was caught off guard by a woman, he shook his head, she was just a girl, would be a girl for a long while, he hoped.

"Oui, I apologize chere, t'ought I heard something odd, t'ought I should check, is all," he was nervous but played it off well as he took a step in front of the door and Rogue almost choked on her on spit.

Remy Lebeau had not only entered her room, but had done so without a shirt, wearing a pair of jeans that hugged him a way that left no room for imagination even for the newly christened sixteen year old sitting in front of him. They were so low on him that Rogue was glad that he had on a pair of boxers that were clearly visible (she took note that they were a red-black plaid pattern) or else he would have given her, her first glimpse of… she blushed at just the thought. She desperately tried not to stare at his half naked form but it was difficult as his every inch screamed to stare, glare, gaze, and any other number of words that meant to gape at him. His torso was not overly muscled, no every inch was lean and firm and Rogue didn't have to touch him to know that those perfectly tanned muscles were steel hardened and deadly. She bit her lip unconsciously to keep from making any remark or sudden gasp.

If it had been hard before to look at Rogue the second she took her plump, red bottom lip in her mouth and bit Remy Etienne Lebeau could have sworn it got worse. No he knew it got worse. She looked like a bedraggled angel from out of his naughtiest and most perfect dreams that made him want to cross what little space was left in that bedroom and make them come true. What the hell was he thinking, he couldn't do that, this was Rogue, as in Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr as in the only sure fire way he knew (other than pissing off his father) of ending up in exile on some island in the Caribbean living in a hut for the rest of his life.

Rogue finally mustered up the courage to speak, but the words she found on her lips were the last thing she really wanted to say.

"Oh, that, that was jus'… Ah couldn't get my alarm ta shut up and Ah jus'…well Ah threw it against the wall," Rogue had averted her eyes, her white streaks falling around her face and Remy could have sworn he let out hiss. She was going to break him in ways that no other woman had, ever.

"Okay, cherie, jus' wanted ta make sure ya were alright, I'll let ya get back ta sleep," Gambit said as he tip-toed out of the room. He shut the door and all hell broke loose.

"Mon Dieu!"

"Mah Gawd!"


	3. Things Better Left Forgotten

_**Present Day**_

Remy Etienne Lebeau had just seen a ghost. A ghost he would've paid any sum in the world to see. Not that he could, Anna Marie, his one and only, the girl who had, well had stolen his heart had appeared to him yet again and he knew that she would have given anything to keep him as far away from her as possible. She was so different. So much older, grown into the woman he said, he hoped she never would be. It frightened him to think that someone that gorgeous, someone that beautiful could think she was anything but. She was the only person who could bring Remy to his knees with one utterance, one simple word. She was the person who had fixed him in all too literal ways and he owed her his life.

But that was a long time ago. Or at least that is what he'd tell himself all these years later. He tried to get her out of his head, tried to extract the memory of those days spent in the hot summer heat, chasing wisps of dreams on the sizzling concrete and busy stream. He had to remind himself that that wasn't his life anymore, that the likelihood of it ever being his life was long gone. He had to love another. He had promised her. This was the only way he could keep that promise, and inevitably it also meant that he'd have to break it. Why he ever made that promise, that impossible binding pact that he knew he would never be able to keep he didn't know. Maybe it was the fact that she made him forget all logic. He was overcome by something primal when around Rogue. Something that made him less than remotely aware of anything that wasn't her.

He entered the house long left empty. He hated this house, this mansion that would never be home. He missed Tante and Mercy, hell he even missed Henri and Jean-Luc. They were at least semblances of a family, despite being broken and severed and scattered they were his. No here he was not home.

The mansion of the great Boudreaux's was not his home. Would never be his home. Not even once he and Belle were married. He dreaded the day. Not that he would tell anyone. He had fallen in love with Belle a long time ago and the love was long ago lost. She was his best friend in a time before he knew what the word meant. They had always been there for each other, until one day they weren't, had gone separate ways. Belle had gone on to be a spoiled senseless brat; Gambit had gone on to be a rebellious and prodigal son. They had their similarities that much was certain, but they were never compatible in the way they were forcing themselves to be now.

He had resigned himself to a life with Belle, he was comfortable enough with her, could even delude himself into believing he loved her, but in all reality he didn't, couldn't. That damn ghost just happened to be everything he was living for.

He walked into the living room of the house he didn't belong in and sat in a large purple velvet wingback chair undoing several buttons of his shirt as he stared into the mantelpiece. Wondering if would ever be able to mend the ties he long lost or would the tips just burn and disintegrate like everything else he had ever loved in his life. He wondered about those five years ago.

_**Five Years Prior**_

Why he had decided to run away from his responsibility he had no idea. He was never one to be too enthralled with the life of a privileged socialite. But that sure as hell was what Jean-Luc wanted. He owed his father everything, but sometimes he just didn't understand that Remy's heart never was with the family business not matter how hard his father wanted him to be a part of it. Henri was the son that wanted to be the second in command, that would hang on Jean-Luc's every word but for some reason he wasn't the son he wanted to take up the reigns when it was time for Jean-Luc to step down as patriarch.

He had literally run when Jean-Luc put that burden on him. Remy didn't know how, or want for that matter, to run the kinda business his family had been a part of since the name Lebeau had made its way into the New World. He hated when his father used that spiel. It didn't make any sense; just like Remy running his company didn't make sense.

At nineteen Remy knew what he wanted, and that consisted of drowning his sorrows in a bottle (or three) of Jack, partying until the sun rise with his best friend and partner in crime, John aka Pyro, and finding solace in between the legs of a (few) new beautiful woman every night. The only way he knew how to do this however, was not to go home, ever.

He had been essentially living with the Darkholme's (or was it the Lensherr's he was never positive, the family to him just signified yuppies and he was happy enough flying under their radar for as long as he possibly could) for the past couple of months.

He and John had had a rough night (well it wasn't so much rough unless you count the way Remy handled that Russian foreign exchange student in which case it was very rough but she wouldn't complain, at least not until she felt it tomorrow). They had stumbled into the house at around 4:15 that morning, John so plastered that he could barely walk. John's room was really more of a penthouse/ pool house. Remy wasn't one to complain; John's apartment had all he needed, including its own separate bathroom and guest room which Remy was currently taking advantage of. He plopped down onto the pillow top queen sized bed with the bright red comforter and satin sheets and closed his eyes. He didn't even bother taking off his jeans, they were comfortable enough.

The last thing Remy wanted to hear at 5:30 in the morning, besides the possible moaning of woman who was underneath him, was a noise loud enough to bring him out of his slumber. But that is what happened. How he could've heard something hit against the far wall, closest to the house he wasn't positive; but he had always been a light sleeper. He got up slightly irritated and walked through the pool house. He knew it wasn't Pyro; there was no way John was getting up before 1:00 that afternoon.

Remy stole out the pool house, on the left was the wall to his wing of the penthouse, and to his right was the wall of the Lensherr's (Darkholme's?) house, or rather Pyro's little sister's room. He wondered idly what Rogue could possibly be doing to be making that much noise. The girl was definitely not the type to rile up trouble, he knew that much. She was quiet, reserved, but also opinionated and strong willed this much he knew from the rare conversations he had had with her. The last time he had seen her she had been shipped off to some summer program in Argentina that Ms. Darkholme (Lensherr?) had been comped for after helping some diplomat out with some mining crisis. That had been about a year ago. Remy wondered if she still had jet lag and couldn't sleep maybe that's why she was making so much noise.

Either way Remy decided to at least check, and opened the adjoining door and walked up the hallway to the door at the end of the short hall. When he opened the door the last thing he expected was to lose his ability to think.

She was fifteen. He was nineteen. This was not supposed to be something that went on. He was a horny man (teenager) and she was an innocent girl. He was not supposed to be thinking the things he was. Let alone about his best friend's little sister. One who had grown up, _NO_ he was not supposed to be thinking that. After making sure that the gorgeous creature was perfectly safe, he left. Had to leave. He would not compromise his friendship with Pyro just because he was horny, he just needed to get laid. But he had already, twice the night prior.  
>He was in trouble. Big trouble. Tremendous trouble. And trouble happened to have a name: Anna Marie Rogue Darkholme-Lensherr.<p>

Remy skulked back down the hall, back out the side door, into the pool house and sat down on the large queen sized pillow top with red silk sheets and cozy red comforter and put his head in his hands. There was something brewing at the surface, he could feel it. And he didn't like it. He tried to lay down, to make himself go back to sleep but it was nearly impossible.

He found that he didn't need to sleep, because after finally finding solace in the sweet dreamland filled with a thousand Rogue's all calling his name in blissful rapture, there was a loud pounding on the front door of the pool house that send him flying into the living room, for fear that his perversity had been found out.

Gambit knew that Pyro was not going to be answering the door anytime soon so after a long pregnant pause he went to the door and shyly opened it, he felt for some reason like this was the last place he was supposed to be. Then he thought about it and realized that it was definitely better than being under the covers with Rogue. Remy slowly slid open the door to see a rather angry faced Eric Lensherr staring back at him. He tried to be as polite as possible at six in the morning after having very inappropriate thoughts about this man's sixteen year old daughter. It was beyond difficult.

"Gambit, what in the hell!—" Eric began. "Nevermind, where's John, he needs to get off of his-"

Eric pushed past Remy at the door and began to search for his son amongst the various pieces of furniture decorating the sprawling pool house. After thoroughly searching the living room, he stalked into the master bedroom, slamming the doors open to find John passed out on the floor of his room the comforter securely wrapped around his head with his bare ass hanging out and exposed to the world, Gambit laughed when he saw that John still had on his socks and shoes. Eric turned around and glared at Gambit, he automatically stopped laughing.

"GODDAMNIT JOHN! GET OFF OF YOUR ASS!"

The comforter began to stir slightly as Eric bent down and yanked it causing the body to jerk forward and Pyro to come tumbling out of the mess of blankets red eyed, irritated and naked. John Darkholme-Lensherr had inherited two things from his mother, her bright red hair that bordered on orange and her ridiculously high tolerance for alcohol. However, it seemed that anytime John went drinking with Gambit he would inadvertently end up drunk which for him was difficult and which Gambit found hilarious, sadly John was his only friend that could remotely keep up with his drinking habits. He could still drink John under the table within an hour though.

From Eric, however, John had inherited an indescribable need to be the best of the best. This was extremely hard when Pyro hung out with Gambit as Gambit had a way of just getting what he wanted without trying which led to a ridiculous rivalry between the two.

John who was now staring up at his father with bleary eyes and mussed up hair that looked like he had been electrocuted in a cartoon, smirked at Remy before standing up in all his nude glory to face his father.

"John Allen Darkholme-Lensherr why the hell are you not up! It's your sister's sixteenth birthday and we are having over three hundred people over in the next couple of hours and you have not even started to prepare, you know how much this day means to us. It's the day-" Eric lectured as John strode around the room finding his boxers and stepping into them as his father spoke, casually acting as if nothing mattered.

"Let's get one thing straight, dad, today is not Rogue's day it's yours and mother's so stop going on about how it's important for her, it's important for you two and the campaign-" John stated as he took a seat on his mattress the sheets hanging off of the large bed completely.

Eric's face was set in a large grimace, the man who had prematurely gone gray but who had a build that challenged that of even his son, angrily stood with his jaw clenched. His muscles were tensed underneath his light blue silk button down.

"John you are completely out of line. Now you will be-"

John sighed loudly enough to cut off his father's words before standing up and stretching, he had one of the worst headaches in his life. He did not want to even look at daylight let alone converse in it with three hundred other people with veneered smiles and ulterior motives.

"Well I could give a rat's ass what you and Raven do today. I am going to take a shower, grab some toast and an extra strength Advil and take my little sister out for a good time," John began to walk into the en suite bathroom.  
>"John I don't care what you want to do, but know that today is not about you. So get ready, come to the house and get this place cleaned the fuck up. Gambit," Eric grumbled through clenched teeth before turning to John's companion who had been leaning nonchalantly against the door frame as father and son went at it. "If you would like to stay you can but do not do anything to ruin this fucking day or so help me god I will-"<p>

Gambit's mind went straight to exile, something told him that Eric would be perfectly fine with sticking him on an island in the middle of nowhere to live for the rest of his life in a grass hut.

"We get it, just go already before I projectile vomit on you," John yelled from the bathroom as he started the shower.

Eric clenched his hands into fists before storming out of his son's room. Pyro was more than a rebel and though Eric could easily identify with his son, it also made him a liability.

Gambit stood in the doorway for a moment longer before John showed his face yet again, slightly less irritated and with a smug smirk gracing the corners of his mouth.

"So here's the deal, I'm assuming guests will be showing up around ten-ish, shower, borrow whatever the fuck you need to wear, we'll make an appearance then steal Roguey for a little fun, come back before anyone freaks and then go and do our own thing. Sound good?" John asked as he began to pick out the suit he was going to wear to the formal event that was Rogue's sixteenth birthday.

Gambit shrugged his shoulders as he leaned against the doorway. In all honesty the last place he wanted to be was with Rogue, if not for the paranoia that his thoughts might become actions. He shivered internally before nodding to Pyro. Things were going to change and he wasn't sure if he was going to like it very much; hell he was positive he wasn't.


	4. Things That Boil Over

_**Present Day- The Boudreaux Mansion**_

Remy Lebeau rubbed his temples as he stared at the piece of paper in front of him. His shirt was unbuttoned and opened slightly, the heat of the mansion was permeating every single thing and despite having more money than god, as Bella Donna constantly had to remind him, they had yet to get the central heating and air up to par. Sweat clung to his chest and stomach as the migraine he had set his body on edge and his teeth grating.

He could feel the misty, humid breeze come in from outside and hated it. This heat reminded him of things better left in the past. Of hot summer nights spent swimming naked with… He stopped his thought as he rubbed his temples once more trying to keep his focus on the piece of paper.

Suddenly the door opened and shut and he heard Bella Donna's shrill voice.

"Well tell dose bastards dat I said I wanted lilies not fucking water lilies. How hard is it to get a fucking flower arrangemen' right, I gave dem de fucking model why couldn' dey jus' follow it," she seemed to scream as she walked into the living room, her five inch silver stiletto heels clicking on the hardwood and then being silenced by the plush rug.

She spotted Remy and his bare chest and with a playful smirk took a seat on the arm of the wingback chair as he continued to ponder the piece of paper set on his lap. She didn't lower her voice at all, but sat there yelling her lungs out as Remy's head seemed to pulsate to the beat of her words.

"Well you tell 'im dat when I get down dere he's gonna get more dan a piece of my mind and if ya t'ink dis is bad wait til ya seem me in person!" and with that she clipped the phone shut and rotated to face Remy.

He couldn't have cared less what she was doing; she was just nothing but an annoyance at this point. No he couldn't call her that because in the next couple of days she'd be so much more, greater than any nuisance he'd ever had or ever would have.

Bella Donna crossed her legs as she wrapped her arms around Remy's shoulders letting her hand slip into the gap created by his opened shirt and feeling the moisture that collected there, she smiled greedily to herself. Remy's expression didn't change from more than a grimace, he knew what was coming. Bella pushed her hands up and down his chest and stomach gripping and massaging, a sly smile gracing her lips all the while.

"Remy cher, what's de matter?" Bella asked as she continued to stroke his skin.

"Ya mean aside from de fact dat dis damn place has no fuckin' air conditionin' an' I 'ave a headache an' ya keep screamin' like it's the fuckin' racetrack an' Henri is on my ass 'bout some ridiculous contrac'!" Remy couldn't take it anymore, he fumed, standing up and turning to get into Bella Donna's face.

His veins were protruding and his eyes were blazing a brighter crimson than before and Bella sat with an amused expression that set Remy's nerves on fire. She was going to get it.

"Remy cher ya bein'-"

"Shut up Belle, I don't want ta here it," he strained as he turned away from her still grasping the paper in his hands. Belle walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him yet again and he lost all control.

"Goddamnit Bella Donna!" he bellowed, he knew he was going to regret this.

In the second it took him for him to yell he had already pinned Bella Donna against the wall of the living room beside the mantle. She was moaning loudly underneath him as he attacked her body in ways that were causing her too much pleasure and he was angry because he didn't want her to enjoy this, he just needed an outlet for his frustration.

His lips crashed upon hers in waves, biting, gnawing, chewing at her skin, her flesh anything just to take the pain away. He forced his body roughly on to her as he ground his hips wrathfully into hers. He pulled at the straps of her skintight periwinkle blue dress. No doubt she had worn it to bring out her eyes but Remy could care less at this point he just needed a fix. The denim of his jeans seemed to be straining on his flesh as he pushed himself against Belle's bare thighs, he was hoping the rubbing was causing at least some irritation, her pain could be the only way for his release.

Belle ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed gently at his neck and ear. She was pulling herself towards him, she desperately needed him and she moaned louder and louder in hopes that he would attend to her. Remy took the junction between her shoulder and neck in his mouth and bit down hard until he tasted the lightest tinge of blood and heard Belle shout in fury. He smiled to himself. He was done playing he needed this to end.

Remy pushed Belle harder into the wall as he tore at her dress ripping the straps off and leaving the fragile fabric hanging from her chest. He pulled at her thighs as Belle wrapped her legs around his waist and he pounded her into the wall once more before setting his eyes upon her bare chest. Remy's lips descended upon Belle's breasts in a torrent of moving lips and teeth. He bit and nibbled in ways that were not pleasurable to anyone but him and Belle, he hated that she was getting so much enjoyment out of this.

He couldn't take anymore. Remy's hand snaked down to his jeans as he undid the fly and extracted himself from his fabric cage. He used one hand to balance himself against the wall as the other tore at Belle's underwear. Forcefully and with no warning he plunged into Bella Donna and she cried out in shock and pleasure as he filled her. His strokes were short and hard and every time he slammed into her, her back hit the wall with an agonizing thump that gave him the strength to continue. Remy yanked at the roots of Belle's hair as he slammed and slammed into her knowing and reveling in the fact that she was going to be bruised. He was nearly there when he felt Belle stiffen and he knew her end was coming and it infuriated him.

"Rem-Remy please, I- I'm, Oh Remy!" she yelled in wanton pleasure as he slammed into her for the final time, shivering against her in completion.

Remy stood for a moment holding onto Belle as he composed himself after coming. Then after gaining the little strength he needed, he pulled her off of him and dropped her to the floor, he knees giving way in post-coital bliss as she stumbled to the floor naked from the waist up and wearing an expression of pleasant bliss.

Remy zipped up his jeans, wiped the sweat from his face, picked up the piece of paper in his hand and walked out of the room. He was ashamed of himself, and all the while he was with Belle there was another on his mind. He didn't care, he loved hell; it was full of ghosts.

_**Five Years Ago**_

It was eleven thirty and the Darkholme-Lensherr mansion was already housing more guests than originally thought. Rogue stood next to her mother as she emanated regality and poise, smiling, laughing, schmoozing to within an inch of her life. Her short red falling around her face naturally and her dark blue a-line dress that showed off her physique without giving too much to look at gave everyone at the party the notion that she was a classy woman, that and the rather expensive set of pearls that were currently hanging off of her chest and ears. Rogue rolled her eyes as couple after couple, guest after guest, moocher after moocher approached them and wished Rogue a happy birthday before making some remark about her father's work and the subsequent need to get him reelected.

"John hurry up I want to get out of this damn dress!" Rogue screamed in her mind as she gritted through yet another smile as her mother introduced her to yet another stranger with fake teeth and orange skin and a plastic wife.

"And Rogue this here is Senator Kelly and his wife, Dianne, they both-"Raven began but was cut off once Rogue had spotted the two boys, smiling and weaving their way through the crowd of people towards her.

"Look mom there's John and Gambit, better go and make shur they aren't getting' in ta trouble, it was nice meetin' ya, Senator-"she stopped midway as she began to make her way towards her brother. She needed to get out of here and fast.

"Dere she is homme," Gambit stated as he and John searched for Rogue amongst the masses of people in formal attire that littered the backyard of the Darkholme-Lensherr mansion.

"Good call, mate," John continued as the boys began to surge forward towards the young girl.

Remy took notice of her immediately. She definitely had dressed up but she was nothing in comparison to the beautiful picture he had seen that morning. If he had to choose he would give up seeing Rogue in anything other than that bed sheet. But then he remembered he wasn't supposed to be thinking about her in his sheets or any other ones for that matter. Rogue had long wavy locks intricately done up in a tight chignon bun with the white streaks of her hair framing her face once again. Remy immediately had a flash back to that morning. The streaks highlighting her bright wide green eyes in a perfect way as they were brought out further by the strapless emerald green sundress she was wearing that hung just above the knee and hugged her every curve, giving way to her shapely hips and round breasts. Remy had to shake his head just to reclaim his mind.

Rogue as going to kill John for letting Gambit come to her birthday party. Not just because she looked ridiculous but because he had let Gambit walk out of their house looking sinfully gorgeous. His hair was slicked upward in a way that was formal and dignified and made him look like he should be in some sort of magazine. His shirt was a simple white button down, the sleeves carelessly rolled up to the elbow and a black tie that was loose and hung low against his torso. The material was tight and left nothing to the imagination as every perfectly sculpted muscle was visible through the fabric under the intense light of the sun. He wore a pair of simple khakis with his pair of red and black converse.

Anyone could look at him and tell he didn't belong, but damn them if they could say he didn't look outrageously gorgeous doing so. Rogue had spotted him from a mile away taking no notice of John until they were a few feet away. John himself was also dressed pretty ostentatious even for a gathering at his own home, but then again John was always one who wanted to make an impression and make sure that if there was anyone in a room, he was the one they were looking at, a feat that was extremely difficult with a best friend like Gambit. John was wearing a rather expensive red, silk button down with a coal black vest and grey slacks and the red only seemed to illuminate the reason why his friends called him Pyro, aside from the fact that he had nearly burned down the house when he was sixteen. He thought nothing of it, everyone else however ceased to forget John's great idea to light a sparkler in a room filled with gasoline, old motor oil, and ancient cars that were otherwise leaking fluids in a precarious manner.

John and Gambit approached Raven slowly, John taking time to wave and shake hands with a few of the guests in order to give the impression to his mother that he was in fact on his best behavior. Sadly, Raven being his mother could tell the difference between when he was bullshitting and when he was being genuine and knew from the second Rogue had spotted him that he was just trying to weasel his way out of or into something. John smiled broadly as he walked up to the group of people that surrounded his mother and baby sister, Gambit strolling along behind him attempting to pay little attention to the family tension that was about to unfold before him. Rogue bounded up to the two boys before her mother could say a word but stopped shy of John when she realized he was meaning to talk to the fiery woman.

" 'Ello Mother dear, I was wondering if I could steal Roguey here for a birthday surprise if that'd be alright?" John stated demurely as he approached Raven and Rogue, Remy standing behind gazing around to stop himself from staring at Rogue.

"Well isn't that sweet, I've never known an older brother to do such a thing," mentioned Senator Kelly's wife, Dianne, impressed with John's gift.

Raven smiled before looking to her son and then her daughter, Rogue biting her lip and giving her mother the sad eyes in hopes that she would break.

"I don't see why not, just as long as its quick," Raven said skeptically.

"Thank you so much mom," Rogue jumped up as she rushed toward John and the two scampered off with Remy all the while Raven watched incredulously.

"Very beautiful family you have, Raven," commented Senator Kelly.

"Thank you senator," Raven stated as she shook off her worry. Nothing was going to ruin the day, at least not for her.


	5. Sickness Otherwise Known As Lovesickness

_**Present Day- The Xavier Institute**_

Anna Marie sat in her room staring up at the ceiling as she waited for something to happen. The past four days had been indescribably horrible. She had come back to the mansion the day she had run into Remy and done nothing but think about the past. She had secluded herself to the confines of her dorm room in hopes that maybe she would forget but knowing all the while that all she really wanted to do was relieve those perfect moments with him.

After four days living as a hermit, Anna Marie heard a distinct knock at her door and immediately sat up, this was not going to be good.

"Anna, are you in there?" the voice asked from outside the door.

Rogue attempted in vain to hide a groan before the door pushed open and she fell back into the soft covers of her twin mattress, shutting her eyes to the light that fell in through the open door.

"What have you been doing in here?" the voice asked once more as she felt it move closer to her than she preferred at the moment.

"Ah haven't been feelin' too well, is all," Rogue stated meekly as she turned over away from the voice in hopes that it would just leave. She couldn't handle the guilt knowing that her thoughts were with him when the voice was in here threatening to make that guilt known.

"Oh…well do you want me to make you some soup or something. I feel bad that I haven't been here to help you get through the sickness," the voice stated as it took a seat on the bed beside Rogue.

She could feel the heat, what little there was anyways, from its body against her back as it attempted to soothe her by stroking her back with soft fingertips. They felt foreign despite their usual familiarity.

"Honestly, Bobby Ah kinda just been tryin' ta sleep it off an' it seems ta be working cause Ah feel a lot better than Ah did originally," Rogue stated to the wall.

Bobby's cold hands stroked the bits of white hair out from her face and she opened her eyes to see his small delicate fingers in front of her face, his body cradled over hers protectively.

Rogue turned over to look at his face. Bobby was definitely a pretty boy, he was nothing, nothing in comparison to Remy Etienne Lebeau. The two shouldn't have even been both deemed men, because Remy was so much more than that. Maybe it was the fact that Remy was the only person Rogue had ever truly loved but when she saw Bobby, especially now, he was so much less than the man she thought she would be with at this time.

Rogue looked up at Bobby's round face and pale blue eyes. He was attractive, pretty even with his short dark brown hair that was cropped and his small build but he wasn't what she wanted, not anymore. Rogue's eyes tried to adjust to the light, maybe that was the reason for the fact that when she was looking at Bobby she couldn't recognize him. He just wasn't the boy she had remembered caring for for the past three years.

"You sure babe, you know I'm here if you need anything," Bobby said as he yawned, placing a hand over his mouth as he leaned into Rogue suggestively. Rogue could tell he wasn't really interested, that he just wanted her to think he was trying.

"Ah'm sure Bobby, plus Ah don't want ya ta catch anything," Rogue said trying to snuggle away from him so that he would leave and let her be alone with her thoughts. She turned her back on him facing the wide window pane with the dark green heavy curtains that blocked out the sun on even the brightest day. She had been getting good use out of them as of late.

"Okay, I'll check on you later then," Bobby said without any tone of disappointment as he stole out of the room, leaving Rogue to her own devices, a dangerous game.

Rogue had met Bobby her first year at Xavier's, he was a history major and she was an English major and somehow they had ended up talking about their favorite authors and hitting it off. At least that's how Rogue liked to remember it. In all reality she had known how shallow he was from the moment she had met Bobby, but he made her feel wanted during a time when she had forgotten what it had felt like and so she gave herself away like some cheap whore.

She didn't sleep with him, at least not immediately, but she did feel as if she was betraying someone by being with Bobby, maybe it was her heart or maybe it was… No she wasn't betraying him he himself had moved on so how could you betray someone who couldn't give two shits about you.

Bobby and Rogue's relationship had grown steadily over their two years at The Xavier Institute but she always knew something was missing. To Bobby, Rogue was nothing but a trophy girlfriend. She had grown into her looks and he was aware of the way that everyone stared at her with lusty lidded eyes. Their relationship was little more than a cover story that kept people from asking too many questions about Rogue, or the various markings that were spread across her body, or the way she dressed. Around Bobby she didn't have to worry about questions, he had a new excuse ready whenever someone needed it. And so she acted for her own sake, for her own survival amongst others, like she was in fact in love with Robert Drake.

Of course Rogue hated the idea of a relationship built upon vanity but it was better than being lonely. Sadly, the majority of the time she had been with Bobby she had been lonely, after he had gotten her and used her he wanted to move on, of course he still wanted the security of having her as his so he negotiated an open relationship with Rogue, without disclosure of such an agreement to any but them. She felt a part of herself die that day. She didn't care, she had been dead for years by then.

Rogue remembered back to the first day she had felt truly alive, the day she had been reborn.

_**Five Years Ago**_

"So kiddo, what do ya wanna do today?" John asked as they sped down the street with the top down in Gambit's bright red T-bird the wind in their hair.

Rogue thought for a moment. She couldn't fathom doing anything today other than getting away from that hideous party that was supposed to be hers. She was just happy she no longer had to play the role of perfect child number 2.

"Ah don't know, Ah'm really jus' glad ta be gone from that ridiculous party," she confessed as Remy made a left and headed toward the freeway.

"Ya have ta wanna go somewhere, cherie, it is after all ya birthday," he smiled at her through the rearview mirror and she felt her heart skip a beat.

Rogue thought for a moment. This already was the best birthday she had ever had, just sitting in this car with her brother i.e. her closest friend and Remy with his beautiful body and face that made her want to press her body against his in ways she had only ever dreamt of.

"Ah think Ah have one idea," Rogue admitted quietly as she tried to think out the logistics of putting her plan into motion.

"Well let's hear it then," John demanded with a grin.

"How about the beach, Johnny we haven't been in foreva and since Argentina Ah've really missed being at the good ol' California beaches with all their, I don't know…character," Rogue bit her lip as she spoke and Remy who had been watching her confession in the rearview mirror had to urge himself not to overreact to this slight movement. The last thing he needed was to get a boner with his best friend's sister in the car and have questions asked as to why he got said boner. He just needed to stop thinking about boners all together.

"I think what ya mean is pollution, but hey if that's what you want to do I am down for anything, after all the beach is bound to have mighty fine shielas there in barely anything," John said as he turned back around in the plush leather seat resting his arm against the headrest as he stared at Remy. "What do ya say, mate, how 'bout the beach?"

Remy had once again almost swallowed his tongue. The thought of Rogue running around in a bikini and playing amongst the waves was doing more than giving him thoughts that would definitely send any man to hell, but it was also causing a physical stimulus he had promised, had warned himself not to get in this damn car at this fucking moment. He did his best to try and hide the wide eyed horror that had taken hold of him and cover the growing ache in his groin.

"Why not," Remy gritted out as they began to head down PCH towards the beach.

Less than an hour later and the three of them were stepping out into the sweet sunshine of a beautiful June day, the ocean breeze kissing their skin, and the sand between their toes.

"Ya know Roguey, this would have been a better idea if we had actually brought along beach attire," John mentioned as he rolled up the legs of his slacks.

"Johnny that's what stores are for," Rogue stated as she began to walk down towards the various shops lining the beach.

"I guess we're buying the little one some clothes today mate," John told Gambit as he began to walk after Rogue. "Do you just want the money or do you want me to come along with ya?"

"Johnny just stay here, Ah have my own money. Why don't ya and Gambit go and get somethings for yaselves though, unless ya'll wanna look like you just came back from a weddin' or something," Rogue yelled back as she disappeared into one of the shops.

Gambit's worst nightmare was coming true and there was nothing he could do to stop it, he followed John as they searched the various stores for swimming trunks. He regretted ever moving in with John, ever telling his father that he didn't want to be a part of the family business, that was a cake walk compared to just the thought of seeing Rogue in an itsy bitsy teeny-weeny bikini. He would be going to hell if he wasn't already in it.

Rogue walked into one of the various stores gazing around for something she could wear. She was oddly self conscious. She had never been so scared to wear a bikini in her life. Her figure was flawless she knew that, blame her ultra fitness crazy parents and their Nazi like fitness regime; but for some reason being in that store filled with every variety of bathing suit known to man, Rogue could not find one that was suitable. She wished she lived in Victorian era London and she could get away with wearing a beekeeper suit to swim in. She shivered at the thought, maybe that was a little far.

She browsed the various items. Some of them weren't that bad, but the thought of having to expose her skin to Remy Lebeau, the most gorgeous man in the world, sent tingles up and down her body. She sighed out loud as a clerk came up to her.

"Need some help miss?" the young woman asked.

"Is it that obvious?" Rogue asked with a wince. The woman chuckled.

"It's okay hun it happens all the time. Let me guess, you want to look desirable but not show too much off."

Rogue nodded with a meek smile.

"Well may I suggest a halter top instead of a triangle string bikini, it will be more likely to hold up what mama gave you while still showing off a little cleavage. And for bottoms maybe some boy shorts to keep your hips nice and rounded and the majority of your bum covered," the clerk explained with a smile and a gesture.

Rogue blushed bright red as the clerk talked. She knew she was more than endowed but when people mentioned it she couldn't help but become somewhat embarrassed. It wasn't exactly polite to mentions people's body type especially when you don't know that person. Rogue took the clerk's advice however and purchased just that in a shade of neon green that she found particularly enthralling. It was her birthday she needed to have some fun.

Gambit and Pyro had purchased their trunks already and were waiting outside of the boutique patiently for Rogue. Pyro would scan the walkway often, leering after woman as they passed with an awkward grin.

"Ya keep doin' dat homme, and ya never gonna' catch one," Gambit commented as he continued to look out at the ocean.

"Well that's the point now isn't it mate, ta catch more than one," Pyro stated with a wink.

The bells of the store front door rang and the boys turned around suddenly to see the emerging customer. Remy's tongue fell out of his mouth. He tried to remember to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. He could have sworn she was trying to kill him or punish him for something. The way that bathing suit hugged her every curve in just the right way made him want to…Merde he couldn't think like that, not about her.

Rogue turned and looked down the path, searching for Gambit and John but not seeing anyone at first. Finally she heard John whistle to get her attention and her eyes caught Remy's smoldering crimson orbs. She practically died. He was wearing a pair of bright red trunks that hung low enough that his hip bones were visible along with every other perfectly tanned and toned muscle. Rogue bit her lip to keep from whimpering. She was going to lose her mind today.

Mon Dieu, why did she have to bite her lip, Remy thought as he turned back to face the ocean. Her green eyes reflecting back to him, playing like projections on his eyes. He didn't know how he was going to make it through the day. That tiny neon green bikini was going to be the death of him.

"So ya ready, Roguey?" John asked excitedly as he waited for his sister to join him on the edge of the sand.

"Ready as Ah'll ever be," she muttered under her breath.

"Wha?"

"Nothing, jus said yeah."

The trio made their way down to the sand; a large group of people around their age were also camped out. There were two pop up tarps and a barbeque going, a couple of guys playing football and girls tanning. Rogue took the beach towel she bought at the store and laid it out flat on the sand before taking a seat on it, as she watched with interested eyes as the boys gazed over at the other teens.

"Ah'm gonna go in, ya comin' Johnny?" Rogue asked as she shielded her eyes from the sun, John leaning back on his elbows still staring at their neighbors.

"Huh…oh uh, nah Roguey, but you go ahead. I'll watch ya from here," John said never taking his eyes off of the sunbathing girl.

"What about ya Gambit?" Rogue couldn't believe what she was asking. Did she not know what she was doing to herself? The words had fallen out of her mouth like nothing and she had half hoped that he did not hear them or she hadn't really had said them but she had and their eyes met for a moment as she waited in absolute silence for his answer.

Remy was going to kill himself. This was all too much. What was he supposed to say? Yes I would love to get you wet? Yes all I can think about is you in the water with me? He couldn't very well deny her either for fear that John might look at him like he was some sort of dick, if he only knew. Remy's eyes caught Rogue's and watched the ebb and flow of the liquid emerald of her irises. She gnawed at her lip again as she waited for a response. He really wished she wouldn't do that.

"Sure why not," Gambit said in his best attempt to be nonchalant. He stood up, wiped the sand off of his trunks and just as him and Rogue were about to walk to the shore he turned around to look at John once more.

"Pyro ya sure, ya don't wanna come?" he asked almost pleading for an out.

"Nah you two go ahead mate. I got betta things in mind," John said as he continued to leer at the sunbathers winking every now and again.

As Rogue and Gambit approached the water both held signs of anxiety and nervousness. Rogue's arms were crossed against her chest only amplifying the flesh revealed by her bathing suit and Remy let out a hiss of breath as his toes touched the water, hiding the real reason behind the action. Rogue smiled at him and he returned it. God he was so beautiful she thought as the sun seemed to radiate off of his skin. Rogue stuck her toe in the water and for a moment both were silent as the shore lapped at them.

"Ah'm gonna go a lil deeper, ya comin'?" Rogue asked as she began to wade through the clear blue water farther in. Remy stared after her for a moment, watching as she became more and more immersed in the liquid, her bottom half disappearing beneath the tide.

"Come on Swamp Rat!" she yelled after him. She regretted it immediately. She didn't know what compelled her to do it. Remy smirked devilishly at her endearment. He had never heard her talk like that and it made his extremities tingle. She was too much. He waded after her and the two met, waist deep as the waves rolled against them.


	6. Little Truths, Big Confessions

_**Present Day- The Boudreaux Mansion**_

Remy was once again trying to hide his anger and frustration, but for him it was more than difficult since the day he had seen that ghost. Bella Donna seemed more infuriating than ever, and it saddened him that someone he had once called his friend, someone who had once been his most trusted confidant was beginning to grate on him in ways that could possibly be irreparable.

He knew his hiding was ridiculously childish, but he needed to be away from Belle for at least a moment. He needed to think about the things that had transpired in these past days. There wouldn't be much time for that, Julien would be home soon and he would have to put on a happy face for his son. He was his son, no matter what the tests said, he loved Julien, just not his mother.

He was sitting on the bed in their master suite, the piece of paper still clutched in his hand. He had promised himself he wouldn't look at it, wouldn't dig it out from the recesses of his memory in order to remember where in the hell he put it so that he could hold it in those sturdy hands, but there it was in his hands, the same crammed and flowing handwriting, the same words that he had sworn had only been penned yesterday. He wanted so badly to burn it.

There were things about Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr that Remy Lebeau knew intimately. Things that she had told him, things that he had told her, things that they had shared that no other person could possibly comprehend. He thought idly about those things, about the things that had inadvertently brought them together. Sure that birthday party had been a part of it, but there was so much more the two had been a part of together in the ensuing months. That was his favorite day though. That day at the beach. The day he had really learned who the young woman known as Rogue really was.

_**Five Years Ago**_

They were wading in the water, allowing the waves to crash around them and the sun to beat down on their semi exposed bodies. Rogue was lolling amongst the waves, lying down, her feet facing the shoreline, her eyes closed, her arms outstretched as if she was an angel. Remy tried not to stare at her in her serene moment despite how beautiful she looked.

Remy proceeded to mimic her and at that moment the last thing he would have thought to see her do was full on tackle him and submerge him beneath the water. Drowning was nice as long as a beautiful woman was doing it to you. At least that's what he wanted to believe. He struggled to surface for air as the waves crashed about him, his hands finding Rogue's wrists amongst the torrent of water pushing and pulling him this way and that and pulled her down beneath the surging waves with him. They struggled while submerged for a few moments before both broke to the surface gasping for air.

Rogue's face was illuminated with a smile, her eyes wide as she sputtered out the remnants of the sea water and grinned at Remy mischievously. He could have sworn she had learned that from him, he gave her his own devilish smirk and Rogue had to catch her breath once again because his eyes seemed to glint in the sunlight and his drenched hair, darkened by the water gave him an even more brooding demeanor that made her wish she hadn't just pushed him beneath the waves.

What had compelled her to attack him, she didn't know. She honestly didn't care because that was most possibly the most thrilling moment of her life. The touch, the struggle, the gasping for air. It was all so amazing and filled the span of a mere moment. She kept on grinning until Remy finally spoke.

"So ya tryin' ta kill dis here Cajun, now. Okay chere you just wait. Gambit'll get ya, just you wait," he continued to grin eyeing her with the same mischievous twinkle she had had previously.

Rogue's heart was beating outside of her chest. She was unsure if it was a threat or part of the game. She had never done this before, never flirted, never really done anything with a boy, except with Cody and that experience had left more than a bad taste in her mouth. She wanted to smile, wanted to run, wanted to pull herself to him and tell him how much she wanted him. But she couldn't do that. This was just a game, nothing more. Nothing would ever come of this. It was flirtatious banter. Her heart would just be broken.

"Oh come on, are ya tellin' me the infamous Gambit can't take a li'l water. Ah thought ya were born and raised on the bayou Swamp Rat," Rogue bantered back.

Remy's eyes glinted. Was she really flirting back? She had initiated it hadn't she? He was crossing into unknown territory, trying to decipher a woman; he'd never had to do it before. For the first time in his life, Remy Lebeau was unsure of how to proceed. He knew he shouldn't egg her on. After all, if anything came of this conversation, if this went past playful banter he'd be the one to pay. He wanted desperately to show her how this should continue, how this should grow-could grow into something more, but he wasn't supposed to, couldn't allow himself even the room to act like he could. She was safe, and this was a dangerous game. A game for people less innocent. A game for people like him, takers, robbers, thieves. A thief's game. He knew it too well, and he didn't want, but secretly yearned to, be the one to teach this game to her. To be the thief and take that innocence. A dangerous game this was, she shouldn't be playing it but Mon Dieu did he want her to, did he want to show her how wonderful this thief's game could really be.

"Was petit, and Gambit loves de water, but ya have ta admit, ya more dan snuck up on moi."

Rogue giggled. "Thought ya were supposed ta have some master sneaking skills according ta Johnny but now Ah'm starting ta think Ah can out sneak ya."

"Ya wish Roguey, ya really wish," he said turning back to the shore. "Where did ya learn to even be moderately sneaky anyways, chere? Somet'ing tells me dey don't teach dat down at dose fancy schools in Argentina."

Rogue let out a sigh. Argentina. There was that place, and then there was France, Russia, London, New York, and a slew of other places. They were all the same. All held the same memories, the same torment, the same loneliness. She had learned a lot from those schools, including sneaking around.

"Actually Ah did learn that from one of 'dose fancy schools'," Rogue mocked almost somberly.

Remy quirked his eyebrows, "Really?"

Rogue nodded in silent repose as she stared back at the shoreline and the many people frolicking and dancing in the sun and sand and water. It all looked like so much fun. She wished she could say that she knew what that feeling was. But then again when she was around Remy it almost seemed like she was close.

"Ya'd be surprised what ya have ta do ta just be normal at those schools. Ah've been going ta them since Ah was seven. Ah've learned how ta pick pockets and lie, ta sneak and cheat, ta fight and stand up. Let's jus' say that the education ya get at those schools is definitely priceless, it's a mix of hard knocks and decorum, street sense and etiquette that gets ya through the days," Rogue's words were almost empty they were so sad. Remy stared at her. Maybe she wasn't as innocent as he thought.

"Neva would 'ave pegged ya fa de type, chere."

"Neither would Ah. But ya gotta find some way ta survive in those places."

"I know what ya mean petit."

Rogue raised her eyebrows in curiosity. She had just opened herself up to him and he wasn't asking any questions just taking it in, wasn't doubting her, but merely stating the fact that the façade of boarding schools long out shadowed her experiences. And now, there was this. Now he was trying to let her in. She was more than interested but this could lead to something she wasn't exactly positive of. She knew that much, her education had afforded that much.

"Let's jus say dat de family business has its own educational requirements dat are none too easy," Remy said with a smirk. That was the most he had ever mentioned about his life to anyone, at least when it came to his family's company. It wasn't exactly something he was supposed to talk about.

"Ya mean the Thieves' Guild has some shady stuff goin' on," Rogue joked. Remy was appalled. How had she gotten that information? It wasn't exactly something the Lebeaus were spreading around. "Gambit ya forget that my father's a senator, he's been running background checks on mine and Johnny's friends since we were babies."

Gambit's eyes widened. This was a horrible notion, this meant that Eric Lensherr had leverage over the Lebeaus, unless for some reason Jean-Luc knew. He wouldn't doubt that his father had some idea of what was going on.

"Don't worry sugah, daddy's not exactly one ta go after the Thieves, it affords him too many connections. Let's just say him and Jean-Luc came ta an agreement long before ya and Johnny were eva close."

Gambit's heart stopped beating fast as he lay back down amongst the waves exasperated. That was probably the second most dreadful moment of his life, behind the time that Rogue had walked out of a boutique in a bikini. Oh wait that was today, so that meant today was most likely the most dreadful _day_ of his life. Rogue laughed at his obvious anxiety and he turned his head to see her smiling at him.

"I dunno what's worse. Ya tellin' me ya know 'bout de Thieves or bein' a theif," Gambit joked dryly.

"Mebbe both," Rogue teased.

"Dat would be a possibility. I mean trainin' til ya almost dead, almost dyin' while trainin', bein' in mortal peril fa long periods of time and an innocent li'l fille knowing dat such a place exists are pretty much on de same level, non?" Remy said still lying in the water letting it roll him backward and forward lazily.

"Is it really that bad?" Rogue asked seriously.

Remy gave a half hearted shrug sitting up in the water. "Non, oui, maybe. I 'ave almost died trainin' a couple a times but dat be de family business, can't _not_ go inta it or risk bein' disowned," Remy's words held weighty indignance.

"At least ya family cares enough ta disown ya," Rogue muttered under her breath. Remy's keen ears caught the words.

"Whatcha talkin' bout cherie?"

Rogue was mortified. She had never meant for him to hear her statement, let alone have to tell him how she really felt about her family. It wasn't like it was a big secret but it definitely wasn't something she was supposed to be spreading around. She was after all, the daughter of a senator, that meant she always had to keep up the façade of perfect child number 2, or else the repercussions could very well be deadly.

"Nothin' jus' …nevermind."

"Non, spill," Remy said with defiance. Something was wrong. Something she had obviously never told anyone. Something maybe he shouldn't even know but that she trusted him enough to mention. Was there no one else to share this kind of thing with?

Rogue was unsure of how to proceed. Was she supposed to really confess to him all of the things she had never told another soul before? The all too real scars that her family left on her? The ones that could never be erased? She wasn't sure of what to do, but her heart was pleading with her to tell him despite any qualms she might have otherwise.

"It's jus' lonely is all. Ah've neva been anything more than a campaign liability since Ah was seven. That's why they ship me off ta those schools, why they can't stand ta look at me or even hug me. Dat's why besides Johnny when he's not busy, Ah'm by mahself, cause no one wants ta be around the freak daughter of Senator Darkholme-Lensherr. If they could, they would sell me, get rid of me, if it wouldn't mean presidential campaign suicide. They need someone ta fill the role of 'perfect child number 2' and while Ah'm not the best candidate Ah'm the only one they've got," Rogue was trying to hold back the tears, to dam them behind her eyelids but they seemed to overbear the flesh and spill over.

Remy could never have imagined the heartbreak she must feel, ta think that you're unwanted. How could someone treat their child so coldly? He wished for nothing more than to pull her into his arms and console her with a simple kiss, he looked out across to the shoreline; his eyes couldn't catch John any longer. He looked back at Rogue and the tears she was attempting to hold back and he could see the excess pooling out onto her cheeks, with a shaky hand he wiped them away and she opened her emeralds, swimming with pain and sudden thanks at his motion, gazing at Remy with wide eyes filled with an emotion of almost pleading sadness. He pulled a tanned muscled arm around her snowy white shoulders and brought her head into the junction between his shoulder and neck, burying his head in her wet hair. Rogue wrapped her arms around his waist tentatively, feeling her chest's weight from her confession slowly being lifted. Remy knew this was wrong, but would not deny her this moment, even if he was enjoying the feel of her skin against his. If she was no one else's, she would at least be his for this moment.


	7. Being Left Alone

_**Present Day- The Xavier Institute**_

"Anna, Stripes ya alright?" Rogue could hear from behind her door. It had been three days. Three long hard days since anyone had come into her room. She didn't leave it. It was safe to say she was depressed. The only thing she looked at was a crumpled up piece of paper with small scrawled writing. She slept with it, reread it every waking moment of the day and night even though she knew the words, the verses by memory. It didn't surprise her in the least that someone had finally gotten fed up with her crazy antics. Bobby had given up on trying to extract her from the room after day one. But then again all he wanted to do was have sex, so it didn't give Rogue much motivation to actually leave.

It had taken three days since her fall into depression for someone to actually give a damn. Although it wasn't fair to say anyone, as Kitty would have most likely been there for her, if she wasn't away on vacation with Lance. She had exactly one other friend in the dorms and he wasn't exactly her favorite person to be around when she felt like shit.

"Go away Logan, Ah don't wanna talk or see anybody," Rogue moaned from her bed as if she was deathly ill. For all she knew she was dying.

Rogue heard the door squeak under the man's strength before it was pushed open, past the lock and he stood breathing heavily and looking angrily at the young girl, a cigar hanging from his lips. Rogue stared at him for a moment lazily and then rolled over to face the opposite direction.

"Stripes!" Logan growled irritated.

"GO AWAY LOGAN!" Rogue yelled into her pillow kicking her feet in frustration.

"Come on kid, we're going to go see 'Ro and Chuck and talk this out," Logan stated plainly crossing his arms over his chest. The man was short and stout but pure muscle (that happened to be covered in hair); it was no wonder that Professor Xavier hired him for security for the Institute.

"Ah'm not goin' anywhere!"

"Darlin' you've been locked in this room for a week. Now I don't know what happened but I'm not letting this get any worse. You're going to see 'Ro and Chuck one of two ways: standing on your own two feet or over my shoulder. You get to choose."

Rogue muttered something under her breath and hid her paper beneath her pillow. The last thing she needed was Logan and the Professor to know about that. She sat up begrudgingly and glared at Logan with fierce, cat-like, bleary, tear-stained eyes a permanent scowl set on her lips. She stood up crossed her arms and stormed out of her room. The Professor was going to hear exactly how the Head of Security at his school had barged into her room without an invitation. She was going to bury Logan, she didn't need help, she needed a demon eyed man to let her go, to let her have her life back. He consumed her life, it wasn't the first time.

The walk to the Professor's office was silent and tense with both parties sending each other dirty looks. Rogue was fed up with everyone. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and die in some dark dank corner of the mansion where no one could bother her. This wasn't how she wanted to live, but she had no alternative, she loved him and she would never let go, could never let go, he had been a part of her for far too long know, the dormant part that had been reawakened. She wondered idly if it was the same for him.

They entered the Professor's office. It was small despite the fact that he was the Dean of Admissions and the founder of the institute. The man was anything if not modest but he exuded a presence of respect and dignity that made everyone listen, that made them give him respect without him having to earn it. Rogue had been somewhat fearful of the man for that reason, but he had allowed her to inhabit his school, had accepted her for who she was for only the second time ever in her life. He deserved her respect for that.

The room was taken up mostly by a large wooden desk and bookcases that bordered the parts of the office that weren't encompassed by large French style windows that held a view of the immense garden on the grounds. Rogue flopped down in one of the fancy leather chairs and glared one more time at Logan as she waited for the Professor to arrive. After a few moments a tall, beautiful, statuesque, mocha colored woman with long locks of white hair walked in pushing a prim bald headed man in a wheelchair that wore a three piece suit and gave Rogue a small smile. The woman pushed the man behind the desk and then took a seat beside Rogue giving both her and Logan a dignified grin and crossing her hands on her lap.

"Hello, Anna," the man stated with another smile from behind his desk.

"Hi Professor," Rogue let out, still irritated, her arms still crossed over her chest. She didn't even look at anyone in the room but rather stared at one of the bookcases on the side wall.

"Anna," the Professor said slightly sterner, garnering Rogue's attention. "It has come to my attention that you have been missing classes for the past week. I have called you in here to ask as to why you have done so?"

Rogue took in a deep breath. "Ah've been unda the weather."

Logan scoffed and Rogue spun around so quickly and glared at the man so intensely that even the visceral Logan could not help but be somewhat caught off guard.

"Is this true, Anna, because if something else has been bothering you, you know you can tell anyone of us. This is a safe place, we are all people who care for you deeply," the mocha colored woman stated taking Rogue's hand in hers.

Rogue shut her eyes tightly to keep the tears from falling. She remembered the last person who had told her that, who had told her she was safe, that she was cared for. He had left. She had pushed him away.

"Ah've been sick. There's nothing goin' on. Jus' been sick is all Ororo," Rogue said her eyes still shut, her hand quivering in Ororo's.

"I can sense that you're not telling us the full story, Anna," the Professor stated. "I urge you to let us know what is going on, if only so we can help you find your way."

"Ah won't be missin' anymore classes Professor. Ah won't be missin' anymore hours with Jean. Ah'm sorry ta have wasted ya're time," and with those words Rogue stood up and made for the door.

Logan tried to block her path but at the request of the Professor let her pass. Rogue rushed up to her room, past the various students who stared at her like they had seen a ghost. She tried to hold back the sobs, tried to dam up the tears but the fell freely as she ran to her sanctuary. All she wanted to be was left alone, to be by herself, with her thoughts, with him. She remembered when they had been alone. It seemed so long ago.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue had never thought she would end up crying on the beach on her birthday while being consoled by her brother's best friend. She had cried many a time on her birthday but the other two were a first for her. She wanted to act like it wasn't a big deal that Gambit's arms were wrapped around her or that it was more than just comforting her. It was scary for her to think that things had suddenly changed between the two. They had both confessed parts of their lives that they had been keeping locked away for the majority of their lives. Rogue wished that she could tell him more, that she could do more than hold him and cry on his shoulder, that he could do more than console her.

After a long moment Remy pulled away somewhat to look down at Rogue's face. She had shed some tears but if anyone asked she could easily excuse her red eyes to being irritated by the sea water. He kissed the top of her head affectionately and then pulled away again, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and dipping his head to look at her face. She wiped away the remnants of tears and tried to put on a smile to hide the pain looking up at Remy with an expression that bordered on hopeful. She didn't want to dare give him the inclination of how much his little gesture had really meant to her, that it was the world.

"Come on chere, we best be gettin' back ta shore, it's gettin' late," Gambit mentioned as he began to guide her towards the sand. Rogue held her arm tightly around his waist, scared that if she let go she would disintegrate amongst the ebbing waves.

She hadn't realized how much time had passed. It seemed as if it was just past noon when they had arrived but the sun was far behind them now, sinking into the horizon, leaving behind streaks of soft pinks and oranges in its wake. Rogue was walking without knowing where she was going, letting her feet trail just behind Gambit's and when she felt the sand seep in between her toes it seemed somewhat foreign, the kind of real feeling that awakens a dreaming mind. She looked back up at Gambit absentmindedly taking in his sharp angular features, the perfect lips and ever brooding eyes and brow. The two reached the spot where they had made camp, nix a very obvious and noticeable Pyro. Gambit growled to himself as he dropped his arm from Rogue's shoulder and looked around for his orange haired friend.

"Johnny!" Rogue let out an exasperated groan.

"Where could he 'ave gone?" Gambit asked not really expecting an answer.

"Wherever there's booze an' girls," Rogue said taking a seat on the sand, bringing her knees to her chin and gazing out at the sunset.

"Should we look or wait fa 'im?" Gambit questioned still looking amongst the many parties leaving the beach or packing up.

Rogue looked up at him. The last thing she wanted to do was go home right now and if they found John that's exactly what they'd be doing. She just wanted time; time to adjust to these feelings swelling in her stomach, the pangs of pain and hurt that were somehow being quelled by Gambit's presence, by the simple actions and words that seemed to reassure her. The thought frightened her. This was not someone she should trust. Who was he to her? She didn't trust her own family, so why was it that she found herself wanting to confess to him so much more than she already had? She needed time.

"He'll be back eventually. Jus' sit down an' wait. He'll show up, he always does," Rogue said with a tone of indignance. As much as she loved her brother, she knew she couldn't count on him. Pyro was all about Pyro when he wanted to be and even though it was her birthday, it would be John's fun.

Gambit ceased searching the crowd after a couple minutes and took a seat next to Rogue in the sand with an aggravated sigh. More time alone with Rogue. His wish had come true. He knew this could only lead somewhere bad but after the moment they had shared he couldn't think of anything other than learning more about this mysterious girl. He knew there was something hidden behind those swirling pools of liquid emerald but he never would have guessed it was pain. She was so much more than anything he had ever encountered in a girl, she was only sixteen, barely that, and she already had seen so much. She was so innocent and yet so knowledgeable of the cruelty of the world, of family.

He wanted to reach out and hold her. Let her experience the natural highs of life. The thrills of adrenaline and excitement, the tingles of laughter and fun, the rapture of carnal pleasures. And something more. He wanted to be the one to show her what love was, but he didn't really know if he could, didn't know if he knew what that really was. Gambit laid back in the sand looking up at the sky for a moment thinking about what love he had experienced. He knew the pleasure found between the legs of women but that wasn't love, he knew that much. Sure, he loved his brother and his Tante Mattie, and even Jean-Luc to some degree but had he ever felt love that was pure and unadulterated, that was not convoluted by family ties, that just ignited from something more?

"Thanks fa this Gambit," Rogue said suddenly, Gambit hadn't realized that she was lying beside him and he turned his head to see her looking up at the sky as well.

"Fa what cherie?"

"For makin' this the best birthday Ah've eva had," Rogue's words were quiet, almost delicate enough to be washed away by the ocean breeze, but wrought with truth.

Gambit stared at her, her eyes still filled with that same pain. He knew what that admission was telling him, that she had found a connection in him, something that she trusted, and while he knew this was a horrible turn in the game he wanted it, had hoped that such an incidence would take place. Her hair was splayed out around her in waves of chestnut and white and her lips quivered with the words she had just said and the breath that was slowly leaving her body. He watched the rhythmic movement of her chest as the air went in and out. She was so much more than her body and he realized that this was probably the only time he had ever thought such a thing about any woman.

"Thank ya, Rogue fa makin' dis one of de best birthday's _I've_ eva had," Gambit stated simply.

Rogue turned to stare at him her eyes clouded with confusion. Gambit gave her a wolfish smile, showing off a row of perfectly white teeth.

"What do ya mean?" Rogue asked, her brows furrowed in bewilderment.

"Mon birthday is in a couple o' days. So I guess dis be a birthday party fa moi as well. Quite enjoyed it aussi (too)."

Rogue smiled and slowly shifted her body closer to his, her head finding the small crook in between Gambit's arm and chest and nuzzling her body closer to his still staring up at the ever darkening sky. Gambit didn't push her way or even stiffen at her closeness and Rogue took it as a sign that they were now more comfortable with each other, had shared enough for this kind of thing to be normal. She felt his arm wrap itself around her waist again and smiled. This really was her best birthday yet, but there really was no comparison. This day would trump all others forever, she thought.

Gambit wasn't surprised that Rogue had moved closer to him but he was surprised that he hadn't stopped her. He wanted to say it was on account of her fragility but in all reality it was really because he had been waiting for her to make such a move, to bring her skin closer to his, to feel the subtle warmth of her against him. He pulled his arm around her somewhat worried that if he didn't she would disappear like some sort of wisp being pulled out to sea. Gambit thought for a moment about how much he wished they could stay alone in this moment, if only for a while longer. He knew it wasn't meant to be.

Remy's reverie was broken by the distinct sound of a drunk. A drunk he knew very well.

"Gambit! Gambit! Mate! GAMBIT!" Pyro slurred as he stumbled through the sand, his feet sticking and throwing him off balance as he tried to keep from toppling over and spilling the contents of the bottle in his hand.

Rogue wasn't surprised to see her brother staggering through the sand towards them, or to see a bottle in his hand and the wrist of a rather wasted woman either. She wished it hadn't been today, or that he had waited until after he had taken her home, but he didn't and she couldn't change time. She rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the sun as it set behind the ocean before clamping her eyes shut in hopes that she wouldn't start crying. She shouldn't have followed John, shouldn't have come here, it was just a recipe for heartache.

Gambit sat up suddenly and stared at Pyro before standing up and using a sturdy arm to keep his friend from falling. Sometimes John just didn't think.

"Homme where ya been, we been lookin' fa ya. We should get back, ya père's gonna be more dan pissed," Gambit said. He should have known better than to try and talk sense into a drunk.

"Well fuck 'im then, mate. Les jus party!" John slurred once more as he made a move to dance as if he was extremely happy.

"An' what about ya sœur (sister), huh, Pyro?" Gambit asked heatedly. As much as he loved his best friend sometimes the boy could be an idiot.

"Well…I dunno….she can wait in the car…or no….she can…fuck you gotta ruin everything Gambit," John yelled frustratedly as he threw his hands up in the air and knocked over the young blonde woman who had approached Gambit and Rogue with him, she fell to the sand with no grace and John sputtered out a laugh. "Les jus have fun mate! Celebrate!"

"Non, Pyro we gotta get back ta ya house, whether ya comin' wit us o' non," Gambit gritted out as he clenched his fists. He turned to see Rogue sitting in the sand her eyes shut and tears falling through the cracks. He shot John one last look that would have made any sane man shit his pants before he spoke to Rogue.

"Come on Rogue, I'll take ya home," Gambit put his hand out for Rogue and she grabbed it taking deep breaths to stop from sobbing out loud. She picked up her things and looked at John one last time before wrapping her arms around herself and walking quickly in the direction of Gambit's car. Gambit shot John one last look of disappointment before following her.

"Find then leave, I can have a good time without ya!" John screeched and the sound slowly became less and less as Gambit came to his car, opened the door for Rogue and started the engine, his headlights flashing along Pyro as he drove away, the night air nipping at the two passengers and anger finding a seat in their hearts yet again.


	8. The First Unforgettable Moment

_**Present Day- The Lebeau Mansion**_

Remy sat at the head of his table for dinner. He wished with all his heart he didn't need to be here at this moment. Everyone he had known since birth was gathered in his house for the weekly supper shared by both the Lebeaus and the Boudreauxs. He heard the ruckus going on around him, watched with idle eyes as Tante Mattie smacked Emil and Theo over the head with a wooden spoon as she served everyone massive portions of the buffet of food she had prepared that day, watched as Henri and his father discussed business at the other end of the table that Jean-Luc was heading as well, watched as his nephew, Pierre, and Julien run around the table playfully as their mothers talked about schooling.

Remy was absolutely bored and dripping with resentment. As much as he loved his family the last place he wanted to be was around the table with them thinking of the only woman he had ever loved and how it should be her seated next to him, her talking to Mercy about pregnancy and pre-school, her grasping his hand under the table cloth and grinning at him with bright green orbs as they played footsie. Instead it was Belle. He couldn't even look at her anymore, hardly even slept in the same bed as her anymore.

After finishing up serving her family, Tante Mattie took her seat beside her nephew. Remy was long lost in memories of a better time when he felt a slight kick from underneath the table, his mind lost the fog of chestnut and white tresses and the sweet smell of magnolias as he felt the sharp pang of pain in his shin. Undeterred by the pain he merely grunted before facing his Tante who had her arms crossed over her chest and a rather unpleasant look in her coffee brown eyes. Remy let out an exasperated sigh as he knew he was going to get a lecture and sat up in his chair, refocusing his eyes on the present and on the chocolate colored spit-fire sitting beside him.

"Y' finally comin' back down ta earth, chil' or is it too belle up dere in dose clouds, y' obviously were los' in?" Tante chided as she kept her arms folded, a slight grin playing at her lips.

"Désole Tante (Sorry auntie), I be a li'l…" he let the words hang, he didn't know what to say.

Tante gave him a worried look. She had only seen her Remy like this a handful of times before and it was always for a good reason. He was not someone to sulk and she knew that and that was why she gave him a somewhat sympathetic look as she found his hand underneath the table and gave it good squeeze. Her coffee brown eyes met his scarlet on black ones and Remy could have sworn he had a whole conversation with the woman via eye contact.

"What be troublin' ya chil'?" she whispered with another squeeze of his hand. Remy took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ce n'est rien (It's nothing), Tante, jus' be a li'l overworked is all, wit de wedding et dis new contract goin' through de guild. Jus' stressed. Ne t'inquiétez pas pour moi (Don't worry about me)," he gave her his best faux smile but knew she would most likely see through the façade. She gave him a critical look with a raised eyebrow before continuing.

"Ma fils are ya gonna make moi beat ya Père fa makin' ya sulky, 'caus ya know I will," she kept her eyebrow raised. Remy chuckled lightly before squeezing her hand and then bringing it to his lips to kiss. That was his Tante, always to his rescue. "Y' sure dats all dis be about chil'? Y' know ya can tell y' ole Tante anyt'in under de sun."

Remy wanted with all his heart to confess to her. The woman was practically his mother. She had been there for him through his highs and lows since birth, had cared for him like he was her own, had taught him everything he needed to know to be a man, all this from one woman. He gave her a warm smile. He needed to tell her, she deserved to know. She would tell him what he should do. His heart was thundering in his chest as the anxiety from the confession bloomed within him. He looked back down at the table and the plate set in front of him and then back at Tante and just as he was going to pull her closer to tell her the secret that had been weighing him down for over a week, he heard the distinct clinking of glass. Jean-Luc was now standing, his wine glass raised in his hand and a rather uncharacteristic smile on his face.

"Now, now, everyone, I would like ta make a toast," Jean-Luc's deep baritone voice rumbled as the rest of the table was engulfed in a silence and all eyes were on him. "It has been un temps très long (a very long time) since I 'ave been able ta do dis in de presence of both of de head members of de guilds of Nawlins. Actually I 'ave never been able ta do dis in de presence of both guilds," there was a roar of laughter before he continued on. "Mais it is more dan bien as it is un célébration of de union of deux belle amateurs (two beautiful lovers). I 'ave personally never been prouder of mon fil (my son) et I wish 'im and 'is future mariée (bride) all de best. A votre santé!"

The room was full of cheers as everyone raised their glasses and responded with a hearty "Santé!"

Remy raised his glass as well trying to put on the best mask he could to hide the pain that was visible in his eyes. With a lackluster 'cheers' he took Bella Donna's hand and kissed it as she smiled brightly, looking to all at the table gushing out 'Merci' to the entire dinner party. He smiled at his father and raised his eyebrows in a lopsided grin halfheartedly. Jean-Luc nodded his head and as everyone bombarded Belle with questions about the upcoming nuptials Remy stole to the kitchen.

He snuck past everyone and through the kitchen door and entered the enormous Lebeau kitchen. He had so many fond memories of this place, of being in this kitchen with Tante, with his mother when she was still alive, with _her_. Remy walked up to the granite island in the middle of the kitchen pressed his hands against it as he leaned forward letting out a gust of breath. He raked his hands down his face and clenched his jaw.

How did he end up here? What did he do in his life to end up here? He didn't love Belle, not in the way he was forcing himself to now. But his family was so happy, they were ecstatic at the news of the two longtime friends' betrothal. He loathed himself sometimes when it came to this marriage. Why was it so difficult for him to realize that his was never going to work out? Because there was no other option until _she_ had shown up a little over a week ago to make him remember what real love was like.

Remy shifted and pulled two pieces of paper out of his pocket. He could still hear his and Belle's family in the next room laughing. He rounded the island and ducked beneath the counter into one of the cabinet's finding his father's hidden stash of aged bourbon, in the same place it had been since Remy was thirteen, he smiled to himself as he grabbed a glass and poured an ample amount. He stared at the two pieces of paper before him, barely illuminated in the dark room by the moon that was shining through the wall of the floor to ceiling French windows. He gulped down all of the bourbon letting out a hiss at the slight sting before pulling his phone from out of his slacks.

He dialed without thinking, turning to face the windows and the moon; he opened the door and walked out onto the porch, his glass in hand.

"We need ta talk chère."

_**Five Years Ago**_

They sat in the car in silence for a great deal of the ride. Rogue's arms were folded against her chest and she was staring out of her window tears slowly falling down her cheeks. She hated her brother sometimes, if only because he was so much like her parents. How could they do something like this to her, on her birthday of all days? Did she even matter at all to them? She let out an exasperated sigh and Remy finally took his eyes from the road to look over at her. He had been focusing on the drive back and the swift lane changes and maneuvering he was making at the heightened speed. Rogue was unfazed by the speed and took little notice of anything besides the passing masses of darkness flying by her window.

Remy stared after Rogue for a moment. Her body was practically completely turned towards the door and her skin seemed to glow in the pale light of the moon, her long chestnut tresses a curly heap that was clinging to her shoulders. He looked back at the road before stretching his arm into the backseat and fetching a blanket.

"Chere, here take dis, its froid (cold)," he said as he pulled the blanket forward and around her shoulders. Rogue turned at the gesture and feeling the warm fabric enclose her; she shifted to face Gambit. He glanced at her and noticed her tear streaked eyes. He would have given anything to take away the pain that he knew she was feeling.

Rogue wiped her cheeks shyly before taking hold of the ends of the blanket and wrapping it around her with delicate hands. "Thanks," she said quietly, letting out a deep breath.

All was quiet again for a moment as Gambit swerved and brought down his speed.

"Je suis désolé (I'm sorry), Rogue," Gambit let out suddenly, gripping the steering wheel fiercely in his hands, his knuckles turning white under the pressure.

"Why are ya sorry?" Rogue questioned in a meek tone, her voice still somewhat raspy from crying.

"'Cause, I shoulda stopped 'im. Shoulda known better dan ta let him go off by 'imself," Gambit commented his anger seething within his words. He was furious with his best friend. John had treated his family like dirt, had treated the girl who worshipped him like shit, on her birthday. John was lucky that Gambit had restrained himself, lest he be laid out on the sand with a broken nose.

"It wasn't ya fault, Gambit. Ya and Ah both know John, he's not the type ta think 'bout anybody but himself," Rogue defended turning her body to watch his profile as he digested her words.

"Non, chere, I still shoulda known, and dat makes it mon fault dat dis happened."

"Will ya stop it, its not ya fault!" Rogue yelled.

Remy turned to face her and saw that tears had begun to fall again and frustrated with himself he let out a growl and swerved the car to the shoulder quickly. He stopped the car, the freeway still buzzing by as he and Rogue sat in silence yet again. She was wiping at her cheeks, heaving out heavy breaths in the dark. Remy sat for a moment trying to bring down his heart rate, to stop the anger from blooming anymore in his blood.

"Je suis désolé, Rogue. Y' deserve betta dan all dis on ya anniversaire (birthday)," Remy didn't look up from the steering wheel as he spoke, his eyes fixed just above it on the red lights that went flashing past him every second.

Rogue stared at him. His jaw was clenched and his muscles in his arms were tensed from his tight grip on the steering wheel. She knew he was attempting to restrain himself and she wondered why? He had done nothing wrong; she had meant that when she said it. It was her fucked up family as usual she thought to herself. She needed to reassure him that he was the only reason that her birthday had been worth anything.

Rogue reached out her arm, placing a delicate hand on Gambit's shoulder, her face now mere inches from his. She gazed at him waiting for his eyes to meet hers. The second her hand touched his skin, he felt his anger dissipate as if she had pulled some invisible cloak from him. The delicate fingers grazing his sturdy shoulder were unreal to him and he let out a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second to take in everything that had happened that day. He shifted and faced Rogue meeting her gaze, her green eyes watery her lips set in a somewhat apologetic smile, his crimson orbs flamed with anger once again, but it was restrained by her, by the simple almost peaceful smile upon her lips.

"Gambit ya did nothin' wrong. Ya the one reason this was a good birthday," Rogue said smiling even more.

"Mais—"

"No, buts. Ya didn't do anythin' wrong so stop saying ya did."

Gambit gritted his teeth and pulled back from the steering wheel, his face now centimeters from Rogue's.

"Dere has ta be a way for moi ta at least make it up ta y'," he said quietly not looking at her.

She felt his words rush across her face in a torrent of hot breath, and despite their simplicity there was an undertone of sensuality to them. Rogue inhaled deeply and Remy could feel the slight give of her chest in the air from her breathing. They were still so close and Remy's head was filled with ideas of what he should do, what he could do with her in this car, on the shoulder of this highway. Rogue felt her body tense and shiver and she parted her lips because it seemed as if they were trembling.

Neither knew who had made the first move but in mere seconds the rush of warm air against the others mouths was crushed between the forces of the two pairs of lips. Remy tasted her sweet supple skin beneath his and it was perfection the way those plump red lips felt and tasted. Rogue moaned under the subtle movements of his lips, her hand moving to his neck and pulling him closer. She needed more of him; he was so intoxicating, his flavor, a mix of spice and bourbon, of sweet smoke. Remy felt the tug of her hand against his neck and then the delicate movement up from his neck to the back of his head where she grasped a handful of hair and pulled gently.

He was in heaven; had to be dreaming because this was unreal. If he doesn't stop himself soon, he could very well take her right there on the leather seat he thought to himself. He moaned against her lips as his tongue traced the edges of her mouth, feeling every dip and curve of the flawless body part. He heard Rogue mewl as his hands traveled to her waist, still exposed in her bikini. He pulled her close against him, feeling the heat from her body merge with his, the damp fabric of her bathing suit against his chest as she took in short breaths of need. He nibbled at her lips as his fingers danced along her spine and Rogue felt nothing but nerve endings exploding in pleasure. Her mind was going fuzzy. This was the last thing she had ever expected to happen but she was not going to stop it, it was the best thing that had ever happened to her, the best gift she could have ever been given. This was her first unforgettable moment, she thought to herself as she felt his hands move across her skin in waves of bliss and his lips connect with hers in ways she had only ever dreamt of.


	9. A Meeting of Minds

_**Present Day- The Xavier Institute**_

Rogue had been sitting in her usual room, on the leather couch, Dr. Jean Grey taking notes as she sat in the large leather wingback chair, her glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. This was the usual way things went. And Rogue hated it. One of the many stipulations of her acceptance to the Xavier Institute was weekly session with Dr. Grey in order to ensure that her mental health was in order. Rogue was skeptical of ever coming to the institute because of them, but after some significant persuasion by Professor Xavier himself, Rogue found she had no choice but to accept the sessions.

"So how long has it been Rogue, since you last heard from your family?" Jean questioned her green eyes set upon the other pair in the room intently.

Rogue closed her eyes, took a deep breath and sighed. "It's been three years, eleven months, and sixteen days since Ah heard from 'em."

"That's quite a precise date, exactly how do you remember it so well," Jean asked taking notes as the words formed.

"Because it was also the last day Ah did…Ah…" her words became quieter. "It was the last day Ah hurt mahself."

Jean nodded her head and Rogue had to desperately hold back the sobs that were raging forward in her chest, threatening to break free and claw away at what little restraint she had left in her body.

"And what happened that made you feel like you needed to cut yourself off from interaction with your family?"

Rogue gritted her teeth as tears began to form in her eyes, glistening at the edges, waiting to pool over on to her porcelain skin. Why did she have to use the word 'cut'?

"It wasn't really one thing that made meh rethink mah relationships with them, so much as it was a culmination of things."

"Would any of these things have to do with the boy you had been seeing prior to the estrangement?"

Rogue thought to herself. She had regretted ever telling Jean Grey about her love affair. It seemed that any time she so much as thought there was a connection in Rogue's life to the wraith from her past, the doctor would bring it up, only to reopen wounds that would never fully heal even if they hadn't been constantly stretched and poked and prodded. She knew deep down that he was in fact the reason that she could no longer be with her family. Not because she didn't love them, but because he had showed her how little they really loved her in comparison.

"No," Rogue stated simply. "And Ah believe that that's our session time, Dr. Grey."

Jean looked down at her watch and then back at Rogue with an expression of silent disappointment that she covered with a quiet veneered smile.

"Alright Rogue, I'll see you next Thursday then," Jean said as she stood up from her chair and walked Rogue to the door.

It was almost dinner time, and Rogue had no want for food. She quietly stole up to her room, her sanctuary for the past two weeks and took a seat on her bed. She looked around the room that had been hers for the past three years. It seemed so unlikely that she could call this place home, but there were all here things set on the bureau. The only possessions she had left in the world, the only possessions she had brought with her to the institute.

She opened the nightstand drawer and extracted the one possession she had that was all hers, that made this room hers, made it his as well. She looked down at the simple piece of paper and moved passed it to the otherside staring down at the two figures captured in a pose, in a time much simpler. She stared down at the young girl with wild two toned hair and a lippy smile and at the young man with his arms wrapped around her waist, his auburn hair clouding his crimson eyes. The only proof that it hadn't only happened in her mind.

She began to cry softly as she stared at the picture, a reminiscent smile finding its way to her lips as she laughed at the memory making itself known in her mind. She clutched the picture to her chest and thought about the days she had spent with that crimson eyed boy and how he made her feel like there was such a thing as love, only to have it ripped away from her, ripped out of her chest like everything, anything good had ever been from her.

He was the only thing she had left to remember, to remember the fear and terror they both had felt, the immense love and adoration, the hope and faith they had in each other that this adventure could become more. It wasn't destined to though, she should have known that from the start, should have known that someone as ridiculously hopeless as her could never have a real shot at happiness.

She clutched the picture to herself wishing that all things could revert back to that one day, captured in a photograph, the one day when their hearts had soared and their chests had heaved in fear and exhilaration and love and hope. It was all she had ever wanted right there in a photograph. Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"We need ta talk chere."

_**Five Years Ago**_

Her breath had been stolen, in a simple kiss. Well, maybe not simple, she smirked to herself. If there was anything about Remy Lebeau, the man was definitely not simple; he was experienced, practiced, knowledgeable. Definitely not simple. She sat there on the leather seat, his arms wrapped around her, her breath drenching his neck. She wasn't sure it had all really happened. Not until she looked up and saw his face and realized they were his arms clutching her to him and not someone else's.

She was still swimming in an endless pool of unadulterated satisfaction. He had more than made it up to her, but this was not something that could go on. She knew that much. Knew that this was most likely a onetime occurrence and for a moment her heart broke. She didn't want to think about the implications of this damn kiss. Of where it could have lead but never would. She was just trying to focus on the heat being transferred from his bare chest to hers. She shifted in his arms, looking up at him placing a kiss on his jaw.

Remy's eyes were set on the road ahead. This was a mistake. One he knew he would have found himself making in any instance where she was vulnerable and in need of reassurance; in any instance where she was essentially calling out for him to hold her, to love her because no one else would. Hadn't he felt the same way, didn't he feel the same way? He couldn't help but feel like he took advantage of Rogue, of her innocence, of the emotions of rejection that she was obviously feeling, but another part of him knew it was untrue. He wanted her; pure and simple. And now he would have to pay the price, because surely he would want more and would know that this was all he could ever have of her.

He felt her kiss his jaw and his eyes darted down to hers, the simple gesture bringing him back to the reality that a beautiful woman was in his arms, waiting for him to make some sort of move. He gazed down at her, her arms wrapped protectively around his neck, her face leaning against his shoulder, her emerald eyes gleaming up at him with love and fear. She too knew that this could never happen again.

"We should be gettin' y' home, Roguey," he said simply looking down at her.

She looked down, and he wished deeply that he didn't have to break this girl's heart because it was already so broken. He knew that by breaking her heart he was breaking his own in the process. She nodded still not looking at him.

"Yeah ya're right," she began to shift and unsnake her arms from around his neck.

He felt his grip on her widen as she slid backward away from him but still close. He moved one hand away from her waist, placing it under her chin and angling her head upward. Her eyes still wouldn't meet his.

"Rogue…" his voice filled her lungs, setting her heart beating with hope that she knew was going to be shattered. Her eyes met his and she gnawed at her lip. He let out a sigh against those lips and she couldn't help but inhale deeply.

"We should go, Ah'm sure mah parents' are freakin' out right now," Rogue said quietly turning her head away, but Remy's grasp still holding her close, he chin still angled towards him. He gently nudged her to face him.

"…Je suis désolé (I am sorry), chère," Remy stated simply before taking her lips in his. It was soft and gentle, none of the feverish need that had been there prior. It was simple.

They broke apart and Rogue shifted to her side of the car, taking the blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders as Remy started the car up once more.

"We should be ta y' house in five minutes," Remy said as he pulled away from the shoulder of the highway. Rogue nodded and returned her gaze to the passing black masses flying by the side of her window. The rest of the drive was completed in silence.

When they arrived at the Darkholme-Lensherr estate, they weren't surprised to see people still surrounding the house, very few cars had departed and therefore Remy had to park rather far from the house itself. The pair exited the car, Rogue still clad in bikini with the blanket still wrapped around her, her bag of things in one hand, Remy beside her still in his trunks. Neither looked at the other as they walked up the hill towards the mansion; both had their eyes fixed on the black tar of the road, heads hung low in thought.

There was a crowd of people still in the back yard which Rogue figured would allow them ample opportunity to sneak back into the house as her parents were obviously still entertaining. She gestured to Remy to follow her as they snuck passed one of the many valets to the side of the house.

"We should go through the side gate, closer to the poolhouse," Rogue suggested.

She sauntered up the small pathway towards a locked wrought iron gate that led directly to the side of the house. Remy followed closely, watching as she jumped the fence with ease even when so barely covered. He couldn't help himself but to stare at her perfect backside bound over the gate, it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Toss over mah stuff will ya," Rogue whispered.

Remy obliged before leaping over the gate himself in cat-like grace. Rogue couldn't help but watch the way his muscles tensed for a moment as he easily flung his body over the fence landing with poise on the other side. He was absolutely, ridiculously sexy. She bit her lip and turned away from him, acting like she was scoping out the rest of the way to their perspective rooms. She glanced left, then right before signaling Remy to follow her down the narrow passage. She stopped at the edge of the house when she heard two voices.

"Well Raven where do _you_ think they could be?" Erik's voice was seethed with anger.

"I honestly don't know Erik, why don't you go look for them?" Raven added in a detesting tone.

Rogue's heart sank. If her parents were looking for her she'd be doomed. She would most likely be shipped off to another boarding school in Timbuktu for all she knew, never seeing Gambit again. Hell he might end up in a grass hut in Guam slowly but surely turning into Tom Hanks in Castaway. A sudden shiver ran down her spine and she sat doe-eyed waiting for her parents to pass through to the house or back out towards the backyard.

"Well there's no use in looking for them now, they're probably long gone," the gray haired man sighed putting a hand to his temple. His wife put a hand on his shoulder in reassurance, taking his cheek in the other.

"Darling, don't worry so. I'm sure the Kelly's will be back soon enough, after all the Senator seemed to take kindly to your thoughts on the debt ceiling. You stress much too much," Raven stated as she placed a kiss on her husband's lips. The tension in his shoulders began to ease as his wife took his hand.

"Come now, Erik, let's go talk to the Davenports' I'm sure they have some worthwhile story to tell you," Raven stated with a chuckle as Erik rolled his eyes a grin playing at his lips.

"Fine, fine. Let us find the Davenports," Erik said as the two disappeared through the brush into the recesses of the backyard.

Rogue mentally hit herself. Of course her parents could give a damn that she and her brother was missing, the only thing on their minds was how to get her father reelected into the senate, if not into the presidency for the first time. Rogue let out a deep sigh as she stood for a moment trying to wrap her head around what her parents had really just said. Did John and her mean so little to them? Why have children at all if you only meant to marginalize them? Or worse use them for your own gain? Rogue found herself teeming with a sudden urge to hit something and scream at the top of her lungs. She had half a mind to run out into the middle of the backyard and lay waste to _her_ entire party.

"Rogue," Remy whispered putting a hand on her shoulder. Rogue turned around to look at him. He could see the anger emanating off of her in waves. "We should go, non."

Rogue nodded and then checked once more before moving into the door that led to her hallway. She didn't expect Gambit to follow her, she half expected him to leave her right there on the threshold of the door and head towards the pool house. She was wrong. She tiptoed up to her door, hearing the various voices of party goers laughing in mock amusement. It disgusted her. She stood at her door for a moment, Gambit right behind her, before opening it and stealing inside. She didn't close it, she left it open putting her face in the gap between the door and the frame staring back at Gambit.

"Thanks again fo' tonight…" Rogue began meekly. She was unsure of how to continue, but knew that she had to tell him, had to make him know that he didn't need to feel bad, not for her, not ever.

"Non, chere. It wasn't much of a bon night," Gambit said ruffling up the hair at the back of his neck. Rogue shook her head.

"Ya're wrong. It was more than anythin' Ah've eva had befo'. Tonight was unforgettable and its only because of you," Rogue said looking down at her feet, her words still heavy despite being whispered.

"Merci, Rogue. Fo' lettin' moi be a part of it," Remy said looking into her deep green eyes and desperately searching for semblance of happiness. He watched as her lips spread into a thin smile.

"See ya tomorrow in the mornin' ?" Rogue asked hopefully. Remy grinned at her.

"Oui, night Roguey. Sleep tight, non."

"Night, Gambit. See ya in the mornin'" she said keeping the door open as both of them stared for a moment neither wanting to leave the other. It seemed like an eternity before he moved or she inched the door shut but when it had happened it was over so quick that the eternity at the door felt like it had never happened. Rogue watched the wood of the door intently wishing that the grains would somehow spontaneously form Gambit in front of her. She let out a sigh and fell back onto her bed. Today was only the beginning.


	10. Wishes Left in the Dust

_**Present Day- A Phone Conversation**_

Had she really just picked up the phone and heard that Cajun smooth voice that made her knees go weak or was it just a figment of her imagination?

"Y' dere chere?" his voice rang back, pulling her back from her reverie, from the thoughts that this couldn't really be real, it just couldn't.

"Remy is that ya?" her voice was barely a whisper her disbelief dripping from every word.

Remy took another drag from his cigarette as he leaned against the banister of the porch at the Lebeau mansion. Her voice, her Southern twang, it was enough to send that rush in his blood and make his teeth clench. It was almost overwhelming.

"Oui Anna Marie its moi," he tried to keep his voice even despite the need for this conversation to end, despite the need for this conversation to lead somewhere better.

"Wh-what's goin' on?" Rogue's voice was straining not crack, she fought back the tears that had already been spilling and were threatening to storm forward. Where were Kitty and Storm when she needed them?

She curled up into a small ball, her knees pressed firmly against her chest and she desperately tried to meld the phone to her ear just to hear the response that seemed to be taking an achingly long time for him to make.

"I jus, I needed ta talk to y'. Needed ta hear y' voice I guess," he knew he sounded like some lovesick teenage boy, but hadn't she shown him that that was exactly what he was, nothing more than a teenage boy in her arms.

Rogue was overwhelmed by his words. Was this time, was their prior chance meeting really eating away at him as badly as it was at her? Did he share the horrible pain she felt at being separated from him?

"How did ya get this number?" her voice was acid. She had to protect herself. Surely this was a trap, a trick, another way for her to get hurt. She had lost him once; she wouldn't risk having him back just to lose him again.

Remy smiled to himself. His chere always was a skeptical one; it brought back so many memories. He took another drag off of his cigarette before rubbing the butt end into the wood of the banister.

"Petite y' know how I got dis number so why are y' even askin?" his voice was filled with that cockiness, that ease of blunt answers that she had always marveled at.

"Does the guild honor any rights ta privacy?" Rogue asked listening for the scoff and chuckling softly when she heard the warmth of his breath washing over the phone. It was enough to send a smile straight to her lips. Was this really happening? Was she really smiling, feeding into the fantasy of this little conversation?

"De guild doesn't honor any rights 'sides deir own. Thought dat you would 'ave known dat by now chere," Remy chuckled over the line.

It was as if the past five years had never happened, as if they weren't living separate lives. But they were. As if on cue there was long silence. Rogue shifted on the bed. This was wrong, this wasn't supposed to be happening. They had both moved on. Couldn't she just feel his warmth just one last time? Remy stood up straight, turning to lean his back on the banister letting out a deep breath. Couldn't he just have her in his arms for one more night?

"So why did ya call?" Rogue's words were quiet and weighty. They both knew this was the question neither wanted to answer. This house of cards they built so carefully over the past few minutes could so easily come crashing down if they weren't careful, if this response wasn't what either expected.

They should have known that's exactly what it would be.

"I wanted ta know if y' would come wit me ta lunch. I really wanna talk ta y' mais not over de phone," Remy's words were filled with that serious timbre. The one Rogue knew to be the truth despite the fact that she couldn't see the red flourish that passed through his eyes.

There was another long silence. He could hear her breathing, if he hadn't he would have resigned to the fact that she no longer wanted him, that this conversation was for nothing. But he knew deep down that things between them weren't finished, could never be finished. He loved her, would always love her.

_**Five Years Prior**_

It had been weeks since her birthday and the crimson eyed thief that had inhabited her home was gone. She should have seen it coming, should have known they would make him leave. But she just wished it wouldn't have been so soon.

Rogue was lying down on her bed staring straight up at her ceiling counting the popcorn like structures that clung to it. It was a little past midnight, three weeks since her sixteenth birthday and she was horribly lonely.

The day after her escapade at the beach (that's what her parents had deemed it) Gambit was thrown out of her house. Her parents had said that it was ridiculous that he stay with them any longer if his father had a mansion of his own not very far from the Darkholme- Lensherr's.

On top of that, John and him had had a falling out. John had it set in his mind that Gambit had left him to rot on the beach and Gambit said nothing to contradict him. The boy just sat and took everything everyone dished out to him in stride.

He had been leaning lazily against the wall, shirtless once more, a pair of jeans hugging his hips perfectly. Rogue remembered sitting in the living room, her knees pressed to her chest as she watched him flip through a deck of cards only looking up into the eyes of Raven and Erik Darkholme-Lensherr when he wanted to.

He walked out of the house with an Erik Darkholme- Lensherr screaming after him but not before passing Rogue a simple note.

_Don't ever let them tell or make you feel like you aren't worth it. You are. I'll keep in touch, just might take a while. Don't let 'em get to ya. We'll talk soon cherie. Don't forget about moi. _

_ Yours Truly,_

_Remy Lebeau_

Rogue clutched the note to her chest as she counted popcorn ceiling particles and thought of Remy Lebeau, of her Gambit. He had been the only thing getting her though the long summer days filled with nothingness. She would have been lying if she said the note hadn't given her hope. After all it meant he cared enough to reassure her. That was something.

She waited for the signal. It was something they both had to agree on. Something that was inconspicuous and would be unheard. She knew he could maneuver well enough past the security cameras and motion detectors but it was this signal that was the most dangerous. If anyone else in the house got any inclination foul play was at hand they would be caught and there would be little else the pair could do to weasel their way out of trouble.

She waited and waited and waited. It was five past midnight. He was hardly ever late. Hardly ever this late. He was usually early if anything. Had he been caught? Had something happened? She sat up nervously in her bed staring out her window, staring at the bush and waiting for the tell tale sign.

She glanced down at the clock on her nightstand as it flashed 12:08 in bright red digital lights. She bit her bottom lip nervously as she fiddled with the note in her hand. There was a light tapping on her window pane and then the bush began to shift slightly to one side and then the next.

Her heart leapt as she rushed to grab her bag and wrenched open the window. She flew out into the bush without any qualms landing on a rather squishy and firm thorn. She opened her eyes to see his crimson flames laughing back at her, his face mere inches from hers.

"Miss me cherie," he whispered into her ear, as her arms snaked around his neck and she clutched him closer to her body.

"Ya're late Swamp Rat," Rogue whispered furiously. "Ah thought ya weren't gonna come."

Remy pushed up onto his elbows and arched his eyebrows at Rogue.

"Y' really t'ink I was gonna stand y' up. Y' wound me mon sweet River Rat," he grinned back at her when she stuck her tongue out at his term of endearment. "Bes' be on our way, chere. Don't wanna chance gettin' caught, now do we?"

Rogue nodded her head as she shrugged her bag back around her shoulder. They tiptoed out of the bushes and through the side pathway before hopping the fence. Remy turned to her and pulled her hips over the bars of the gate smiling at the touch, she rolled her eyes at him.

They had been planning this for three weeks. Tonight was the last night that Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr would be living in the same house as her biological family. Tonight was the last night she would have to deal with the feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness and loneliness and pain. Tonight was the night she was free.

The day after Gambit had departed from the mansion Rogue received an anonymous text message on her cell phone from a number she was unfamiliar with. It was simple but she knew immediately that it was Gambit.

_ Meet me at midnight at the park outside of town. _

Using her skills of stealthy sneakery Rogue had managed to leave the house that night without being detected and to her excitement be greeted in the darkness by a demon eyed young man. He pulled his arms around her waist and nestled his jaw into the side of her neck. Rogue exhaled.

They had spent the whole night together at that first meeting, not returning to her home until the early morning when the sun was just glimmering above the horizon. That night was when they first had the idea, laying on the cool grass staring at the summer sky together.

"Ah can't stand bein' there anymore," she whispered to him, snuggling deeper into his trench, his arms wrapping ever tighter around her.

His hand brushed her cheek. "Den do somet'ing about it."

Rogue turned over to face him and met his crimson orbs in the dark. His face was serious and hardened with concern as if he wished he could say something but was unable to, was restraining himself. She furrowed her brow and opened her mouth as if to respond he put his thumb over her lips to silence her.

"If dey can't make y' happy. If dey don't treat y' right, don't go back. I can't stand to see y' hurt anymore. I've seen it fo' as long as I've known y' and John and I could only ignore it fo' so long. Don't go back," his words washed over her face as she inhaled his spice scent.

Rogue's emeralds searched his eyes. She didn't understand. It wasn't that easy. It just couldn't be. Unless…

"Where would Ah go?"

He knew she would ask the question. He had the response ready. But the real question was, was she ready? Could she handle what he told her next? Were they ready for this yet? Rogue was hoping for the response. She wanted the words to be said but was fearful of them. What would it mean?

"We'd jus' leave. Get outta here and live, de way we want to. Wit'out dem, wit'out de false love and de faux gestures. We'd be together. Dat's all dat matters," he stared into her eyes as he said the words, scared that he would lose conviction if he didn't.

Gambit was unsure of when it had happened. If it was after that night at the beach or before or if he had always felt that way but he had fallen in love with Rogue. He knew deep down that he had always felt protective of her, he had chocked it up to being an older brother type at first but he knew now it wasn't true. He loved her. He would protect.

Rogue's lips fell upon his and for a moment they were lost in the bliss of their kiss. His hand cradled her to him and finally they broke for breath, Rogue's head nestled on his chest, her arm wrapped across his torso as they laid beneath his trench. He gently stroked her hair as they both stared up at the stars.

"Gambit?" Rogue's voice was meek and quiet and she was staring down at their feet as they playfully rubbed against one another.

Remy looked down at her, "Yeah Roguey?"

"Ah'm scared."

He knew she meant about everything. Not just leaving, not just their relationship, but about going back home, about all the little complications that just seemed to get in the way of everything. He kissed her forehead.

"I know…I know."  
>So as they finally sauntered down Rogue's street and she turned for the last time to look upon the place she had called home. It was a poor definition. It was a placed she resided at. It was a prison. Nothing more. Remy gazed at her from the corner of the street. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and then proceeded towards Gambit's car.<p>

Around the next corner Gambit had parked his truck. It was more practical for moving and Rogue smiled as she looked at the cherry red Ford pick-up that reminded her that he was a down home Southern boy. Gambit took her bag and placed it in the bed of the truck with his things and opened the door for her.

Rogue didn't want to admit the twinge of regret that washed over her as she sat in the truck waiting for Gambit to take the driver's seat. She turned once more looking over her shoulder at the familiar street. This wasn't her home. Home was where the heart was, right? So where was her home?

The truck started up with a roar and Gambit pulled away from the curb leaving behind the one place he felt like he belonged. It didn't matter. He was protecting the one thing that mattered to him now and that's all he cared about. He stared at Rogue for a moment taking in her posture as she watched the neighborhood disappear into fast moving dark masses outside of her window. There was a distinct tear hanging from her emeralds.

The drive was silent. When they reached the limits of the city and kept going it was still extremely dark. Rogue curled up next to Gambit, her head resting on his shoulder as he drove the deserted highway. They were leaving everything behind. But it was worth it. He cared. They didn't. They didn't deserve her. And he cared. She would leave for him, because he would do it for her. She loved him. She hoped he loved her.

No words were spoken. None needed to be said. The horizon was all that they were trying to capture. The pick-up roared toward the impossible line. Remy's hand found Anna Marie's and for a moment both could breathe. This was all they needed.


	11. The Past is Always Too Much

_**A Small Diner, New York- Present Day**_

Rogue sat in the diner biting her nails in the small secluded booth. She still couldn't fathom the idea that they were meeting up here. It was too much, too fast. Then she realized that was Gambit for her, that was their relationship. Too much, too fast.

It was late afternoon, the lunch rush had just died down and the waitresses were busying themselves counting tips and waiting for some actual customers. Rogue had done nothing but order an iced tea and wait.

She had gotten there early, despite telling herself she wasn't going to get there early. An hour before they were supposed to meet and Rogue was sitting in a booth biting her nails and nursing her iced tea.

She was vaguely aware of the fact that she had something in her purse. She wouldn't recognize the fact. Not until after he arrived. Rogue stared out the window at the passersby hoping to see his auburn hair and crimson eyes in the crowd but to no avail.

She was faintly aware of someone calling her name. "Chere?"

Her imagination was running away with her. Remembering the ways he used to say her name. Whisper it. The short tiny breaths in her ear. It sent chills up her spine and down her arms. She swore she could feel the warmth of his skin against her. Her eyes closed at the sensation.

"Rogue?" a deep velvety baritone let out.

Rogue's emeralds snapped open at the sound and she realized she was staring at a man sitting across from her with a devilish smile and blazing scarlet irises set against an onyx sea of sclera.

Rogue shook her head in embarrassment and smiled ruefully at the old friend.

"Gambit," the statement was simple but the tone was indecipherable. Remy was unable to read her and for the first time his smile faded and his poker face was left in the dust.

There was an awkward silence as they both took stock of the other. Rogue's eyes raked up and down Gambit's form. His hair was shorter than she remembered it but then she realized it was about the same length from when they had last met a cropped cut that suited him well but defined him as the man and not the boy she remembered.

He was wearing a simple black silk shirt with black slacks, his trench strewn across the booth beside him. His ruby eyes glimmered for a moment, sparking fire in the irises and Rogue noticed the sly smirk make its way to his perfect lips once again.

She recalled just how well she knew those lips. The whispers and ghosts of that supple skin against flesh, the warmth of the gentle touch, the moist feeling of the texture. She shook her head at the memories flooding her head taking notice of the perfect amount of stubble he wore on his chin. Just enough to make him look ruggedly handsome. Like he needed any help.

Gambit was trying to decipher her as always. She was tightly shut, like a safe he was unable to crack, always promising the most unreal treasures behind the lock. Her hair was tied back, her white streak prominently displayed as a single strand framing her face.

She was wearing a tight fitting green v-neck tee, a brown leather waist jacket on top and a pair of dark washed denim jeans fitted against her well defined legs. He gazed down into her cleavage for a moment watching as she turned red at the notion he was gawking at her. He gave her a wolfish grin. He was admiring the simple gold locket hung around her neck. How he knew that piece of jewelry well. He hid the sadness that had washed over him suddenly almost ridiculously well.

The waitress finally approached them ending their silence. Gambit turned to face her, his eyes darting to Rogue's every once and a while in an attempt to determine exactly what was going on behind that façade of hers.

"What'll ya have?" the bored waitress asked not even looking up from her notepad.

Rogue leaned back and shrugged, "Ah'm fine sugah."

Gambit grinned at her words and then rotated back towards the waitress. "I'll take a black coffee."

"Comin' right up," the waitress said unenthusiastically as she departed from them.

The silence returned for a moment. Rogue was staring out of the window of the booth. Watching couples and children as they passed. They all seemed so happy. So why was it that when she saw this all she thought was that it was a lie? A fabrication created to reel people into false hope. There was no such thing as happiness, only disappointment.

Rogue turned when something caught her eye. Gambit had a deck of cards in his hand, shuffling through them as he stared after the same people, a blank, unreadable expression on his face. Rogue looked at him. Why had they even come here? The butterflies in her stomach erupted into a mass of acid and she took another sip of her tea to quell the nerves. She mustered up the confidence to speak.

"So what brings ya to New York?" her tone was liquid acid. Gambit kept with his shuffling.

"Business," he stated idly as he finished shuffling, placing the deck of cards amongst the many pockets of his trench.

Rogue nodded still sipping her iced tea. "So who ya scoping out fo' the next heist. Some unsuspecting granny with thousands of dollars in junk bonds?"

Remy couldn't help but chuckle at her. He knew she was trying to get a rise out of him. She should have known better than to try, there was only one way to make him angry and she knew it. She would never cross that line either. It would hurt her as well.

"You know de Guild does have some actual legitimate ventures besides thieving right?" he mocked her as he leaned against the leather booth staring at her with mysterious eyes.

"Like what, casinos," Rogue joked back her tone lessening in acridity as the conversation continued.

"Non, although that is tempting. I'm actually here because Etienne is setting up a private security company out here and needed some help with the technical aspects," he stated with a grin.

"Wait so you're helping people stop thieves, isn't that a bit contradictory?" Rogue asked eyeing Remy with skepticism, folding her arms across her chest.

Gambit chuckled again, the breathy bass line sending chills through Rogue's body. It was so familiar, this kind of thing. It made her feel at home for the first time in a long time. The idea hurt to think about. The past. It always had a way of hurting you.

"Y' could say dat. But we screen de clients before we do anyt'ing. If we t'ink dat dey are gonna be potential marks in de future we don't protect them. It's somewhat of a conflict of interest but de majority of people we actually aid are former thieves so it works out fo' de best," he stated with a shrug watching as the waitress returned with his coffee.

"Anything else I can get ya folks?" the waitress let out in a rude tone as if to say she had better things to do.

Rogue looked to Gambit who nodded and then turned his attention to the waitress. "Non, I t'ink we be good fo' now chere."

The waitress retreated and the silence followed once more. Gambit began to fidget nervously and Rogue took in the picture of the man attempting to restrain his over active body. He was always so fidgety. She grinned and giggled, he stared at her with questioning eyes and she merely pursed her lips in resoluteness.

Rogue shifted her position and then let the words fall from her mouth, the ones she had been waiting to say all day. "So why are ya here Remy?"

Remy looked at her for a moment. Rogue gazed and stared as she saw the smile fade from his face and his eyes narrow almost instantly. His expression was one of immense sadness and Rogue had only ever seen it on his face once before. It scared her. He had never been like this before, not since that day. What had happened?

"I needed ta talk to y'. Needed some…I don't," he paused not looking at Rogue, unable to meet her eyes. "I needed ta talk to y' because y' be de only person ta understand what I'm goin' through. Maybe it's cause we gone through it before, non."

His tone lightened for a moment as he gazed into Rogue's eyes finding the concern written in the irises that he knew was hidden behind the scathing remarks. Instinctually, Rogue sat up straight and let her hands sit on the table, folded in front of her as she awaited Gambit's response.

"What goin' on Remy? Ya-" Rogue started off irritated almost before Gambit interrupted.

"Bella Donna's pregnant," his words were heavy and short. A staccato bass that hit Rogue in the chest.

Why would he come here to tell her that? Did he want to break her heart even more than it already was? What was she supposed to tell him? The truth? That she hated the idea of him being with another woman, that the thought of him with that tramp of a woman made her want to vomit and then the actual thought of them conceiving a child. Was she supposed to be happy for him?

Rogue mustered up all the faux politeness she could. She was surprised she didn't say it through gritted teeth. "Well…that's…Congratulations, Remy. Ya have your great big family after all."

The last part came out hard and cold and Rogue was hoping that he wasn't seeing the tears in her eyes at the memories of what they once had, at the prospect of more that was just at the horizon of their former relationship. She hoped that he didn't see the hatred emanating from her skin like poison.

Remy stared into her eyes. He knew, he could tell. They still did. It wasn't just him; it was her too. But this didn't mean anything. It couldn't, could it? He didn't know what to tell her except the truth, but he was scared it might be too much, might lead to things better left in the past.

"It's not mine," he stated simply. Rogue's heart broke and soared.

She didn't believe the words at first. She stared at him, awestruck, tears welling over and her mouth gaping open. He smiled serenely at her and took her hand in his to reassure her. She quickly pulled it away and attempted to compose herself, bringing her hand to her lips, her eyes wide open.

Rogue let out a gurgle and Remy finally explained. "We went to de doctor 'bout a week ago. She's trois months along. Trois months ago I was in Paris finishing up a heist. There's no way its mine."

Remy let out a small sigh. He loved Belle once. Loved Julien as his own son, but this was too much. How was he supposed to marry a woman who couldn't be faithful, he had been nothing but devoted to her since their engagement. It wasn't easy but he had done it, for her. And now there was this.

He didn't like to think that it was fate but there was no other explanation. Not but a month ago he runs into the woman he lost, the woman he would always love that had been torn from him and now unable to get her back because he was in a committed relationship. And now it was broken. It seemed too good to be true.

"Remy…Ah'm….Ah don't know what ta say," Rogue let out still trying to put her thoughts into coherent sentences.

"Dere's really nothin' y' can say chere. She made her choice, it wasn't moi. I just needed ta talk ta ya because it got me t'inking 'bout de past and…" he let out a breath. Why was this always so difficult to bring up? "Well y' know."

Rogue looked into his eyes and saw once again that sadness and realized it was the same sadness she had witnessed only once before. In an uncharacteristic gesture Rogue took his hand in hers, Remy's eyes slowly met hers and he gave her a half smile that was so unlike him that Rogue felt her heart crumble.

The past was somewhere the two of them shouldn't go. They were too entrenched in the present to dig up such things. But she knew what he was mentioning and the tears began to fall freely down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Anna, I didn't mean ta-" Remy stated reaching across the table to brush away her tears with his thumbs, his hand on her cheek.

Rogue looked up at him from underneath her snowy bangs, her green eyes full of tears at the memories of lives long lost. She watched the flames spark in his irises and tried to smile for him but couldn't. A sob escaped her chest and she desperately gasped for air.

"It's okay Remy. It's just been…It's been a long time since I thought about the past," Rogue let out a sigh, her breathing finally steadying. Remy drew back slightly and Rogue leaned back in the booth.

Remy waited a moment leaning forward on the table, his chin resting on his hands. "Do you ever t'ink about-"

"All the time. It's been hard not ta think…but that was a long time ago Rems…a long time," Rogue let out, a shiver crawling up her back.

She stared out the window at the parents with their children. Five years. She spotted a little boy with short brown hair. She wondered. If only. The past could be a wicked bitch sometimes. Rogue swallowed and turned her eyes to Remy. He had been watching as well. She thought of Julien.

"Dere are times when I wish we could go back and somehow change what happened. I wanted what we had so much; I just didn't realize what we needed. I knew I needed you but dere was so much more dat we didn't take inta account," Remy said quietly still looking out the window.

"We were so young Remy. There wasn't a lot we could do. That kind of responsibility would have been the end of both of us. We would have ended up resenting each other. We would've regretted everything," Rogue responded politely.

Her tone was calm, almost disconnected. Remy snapped his head to see her, his eyes set in anger, his jaw clenched.

"Non, I wouldn't have regretted it. And I damn well would never have resented y'. I loved y' Rogue and…" Remy took in a deep breath and smiled to himself. "It would have been an adventure and I would've loved ta take de leap wit' you."

Tears started to well up in Rogue's eyes and she took in a couple of shaky breaths. She closed her eyes for a moment. Those times were the best of her life. And then fate stepped in. She wished it wasn't true. Wished things could've been different. But they weren't.

She had often wondered what would have happened between them had things been different. Had fate not gotten in the way? Would they be happy and together? She had imagined their life together a thousand different ways. She wished she hadn't been so scared.

"Ah'm sorry Remy," Rogue whispered.

Remy's eyes blazed in anger and he reached over the table taking Rogue's face in his hands turning her eyes to his. He gazed into the emerald depths seeing the regret and pain latent within them; he resisted the urge to place his lips against hers, to defeat the pain with love. He knew he couldn't.

"It wasn't y' fault, Anna. Y' know dat. T'ings like dat happen. I loved y' no matter what. Dat doesn't mean I wasn't allowed to be upset, to be overwhelmingly saddened. He was a part of us Anna, would've been the best part of both of us. Fate jus' had other plans fo' us," Remy whispered against her lips.

Rogue didn't realize he was on the other side of the booth cradling her to his chest until she opened her eyes and saw his face mere inches from hers and felt the warmth of his skin through the soft silk of his shirt.

"Is…Is that why y' love Julien so much. Because he reminds ya of..of…of" Rogue was sobbing once again.

Remy shushed her, rocking her back and forth in the booth, gently stroking her hair. He was glad she had picked a secluded booth because they would have been making a scene otherwise. Remy pressed his lips to the top of her head taking a deep breath of her magnolia scent.

"It is part of de reason. I'd be lyin' if I didn't say dat. But he will never take away dat spot in mon heart fo' ours," he whispered against her satin locks.

Rogue sobbed some more taking in deep breaths of Remy's spice scent. This was too much. Why did they go digging up the past? Didn't they know it would just lead to heartache? Rogue was quivering in his arms, the arms she thought she would never be held in, but there she was once again caught in his trap.

"Ah wish we could've met him. He would have been beautiful," Rogue sobbed into Remy's chest.

She felt his tears hit her hair, dampening it. She knew it killed him to, to talk about such things. Rogue lifted her head and looked into Remy's eyes seeing the tears. She parted her lips as if to say something but was cut off by his words.

"Oui, he would have. Jus' like y' ma chere," Remy said confidently with a sad half chuckle.

They both took in deep breaths. Rogue leaned against Remy's shoulder his arm around hers. She twisted her head to look at him and their eyes met for the final time. There was a sudden accumulation of the intense emotionality that had just transpired and without thinking, without knowing their lips met.

Five years later and little had changed. Five years later and everything had changed. Five years later and everything was the same. Five years later and Remy Etienne Lebeau still loved Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr. Five years later and Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr still worshipped Remy Lebeau. The past couldn't be altered but the future was running the same course.


	12. On the Road

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue couldn't fathom what they were doing. It still hadn't truly hit her yet. They had driven until dawn and then driven some more. She was unsure where they were currently. Arizona? New Mexico? Texas? It had been hours since they had taken off from her home.

And even as they approached the horizon it seemed like if she turned around she would still see her home, her empty house. Driving all night and neither one of them had said a word to one another. Rogue wanted to wonder why but in all reality she knew. They were both scared that they had done something wrong; something they would never, ever be able to take back now that it was started.

"Gambit," Rogue whispered as she spotted a roadside diner.

Remy jumped and looked over at Rogue. He was lost in thought, lost in tunnel vision. Had he acted too rashly by taking her away from that place that tormented her for most of her life? He looked down at Rogue expecting that she would beg him to turn back but when he looked in her eyes he didn't see that. She smiled meekly at him, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Y-yeah chere," he stuttered as he tried to shake away the thoughts of regrets still buzzing through his mind.

"Umm y' think we could stop, Ah'm hungry and Ah gotta pee somethin' fierce," Rogue replied.

Remy chuckled and proceeded to take the next off ramp towards the diner they had spotted along the highway.

They parked and Remy took the job of getting a booth while Rogue used the facilities. He stared out the window as the waitress handed him a plastic covered menu. They were doing the right thing, weren't they? He was saving her from a lifetime of heartache wasn't he? He wasn't so sure anymore.

But then he thought about how she had smiled at him this morning. How she had seemed to have no doubts in what they were doing and it made a sudden grin pop upon his lips. He had thought long and hard about it before they had enacted the plan.

The moment he left the Darkholme-Lensherr house he had already devised a way to get her out. Given it also stemmed from the fact that he could barely live under the same roof with Jean-Luc but nevertheless he would have put up with his father had it been in Rogue's best interest to stay in California.

But he knew it wasn't. He knew that there was a place they could both flourish. A place they both belonged. It wasn't that far. A couple of states over and they would be home, with one another. Just the idea of having Rogue with him in such a special place had made him giddy. He knew it was the right thing from the start. There was no questioning it now. It was just a matter of getting there now.

Rogue splashed water on her face after she washed her hands. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It wasn't like she missed home. An image flashed through her mind. Her and Remy in a compromising position.

"Pull yourself together girl," Rogue spoke to her reflection.

Sure she had thought about it before, especially after their night in the car and day at the beach but it was different now. She was unsure of what terms they were on. He had kissed her more than once. Had shown her affection in many different ways. But did that mean they were together? Did that mean she was his?

She rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding she was his from the moment he spoke her name for the first time. Even if he didn't want her she would be his; that much she knew. He drew her like metal to a magnet and there was no stopping that now. But had things truly changed between them?

She was frightened of all the connotations of this trip and yet thrilled all the same. She took a deep breath as she stared into the mirror her emerald green eyes gleaming back at her in excitement and anxiety. She would get to the real anxiety later she thought; at least we haven't hit a motel yet.

She giggled nervously just at the thought and shook off her nerves as she stepped out of the restroom and walked over to the lonely booth where Gambit sat waiting for her; the menu hiding his face as he discerned what was the best thing to eat. He looked up as she sat down and she saw how seriously he was taking ordering their breakfast.

"What too much ta chose from Swamp Rat?" Rogue joked as she gazed down at her own menu.

"Variety is de spice of life Roguey, so I'm thinkin' dis place doesn't have much spice, non," Gambit stated his face still serious as he weighed his options.

Rogue shook her head at him and he couldn't help but lick his lips at the glimmer in her eyes. It was one of the only times he had ever seen her so…happy. He kept looking at her and the way she seemed so content to be there in this little booth, in this tiny diner, in the middle of nowhere. She was happy.

"Got something on ya mind?" Rogue asked with a quirk of her eyebrow still looking at her menu. She was torn between the biscuits and gravy and the patty melt.

Remy started ruffling through his trench coat as he thought of response. "Bit of a weighted question for breakfast don't ya think?" he replied as he pulled out his deck of cards and began to shuffle it still unsure of what to order.

Rogue gave him a quizzical expression, folding her hands under her chin as she appraised him. She didn't know why but she both hated and loved when he shuffled his deck of cards. It made her smile because she knew it was his nervous tick, but she knew just how grating the sound of shuffling cards could be on the nerves.

"How so?" Rogue asked still enthralled by the ease at which he turned each card over and under and through the others without looking, flipping them from one hand to the other.

"Well everyone has several t'ings on deir mind at once, non? So if I were to sit here and tell you everythin' that's on mon mind ya'd be both bored and probably slightly offended," he said with a wink and a blush immediately rose to Rogue's cheeks and her eyes darted back down to her menu despite the fact that she knew what she was going to order.

The waitress finally came back to their booth and looked down at them with a bored sort of patience that caught Rogue off guard.

"Ya'll ready to order?" she asked in a dull sort of voice.

"Roguey?" Gambit asked as Rogue desperately tried not to meet his eyes. If she did she would be unable to talk for fear of seeing exactly what he meant by that comment before. She nodded and focused on the many stains on the waitress's white shirt.

"I'll take the biscuits and gravy," Rogue replied meekly.

"Make dat deux," Gambit said giving Rogue another wink and handing their menus to the waitress.

"And drinks?" the waitress asked as she turned to walk away.

"Coffee?" Gambit asked looking to Rogue for approval. She smiled and tilted her head to the side slightly. Did he know? She nodded and proceeded to stare out the window.

"What's on y' mind cherie?" Gambit asked as he fiddled with the utensils in front of him, tiring of shuffling.

"Bit of a loaded question, non, cher," Rogue teased him, still looking at the cars passing the diner on the highway.

Gambit chuckled mildly and watched her. He could have stared at her all day if he had the chance to. She had let her hair down and it was creating chestnut waves down her back. Her white streak was pinned back on both sides of her face and Remy thought it made her look cute.

She pressed her lips into a thin line and he couldn't help but reach his hand across the table and take hers. Rogue looked down at the sudden connection of flesh somewhat startled. She licked her lips again and watched as his eyes danced with curiosity. He wanted desperately to know what was on her mind.

"Do you think they know Ah'm gone?" Rogue asked solemnly looking straight into Gambit's eyes watching as his expression moved fluidly from curiosity to anger to thoughtfulness, his scarlet irises sparking here and there throughout.

He looked at her and shook his head no.

"Y' don't miss what y' never noticed was there ta begin wit," Rogue could tell from his tone that he was being completely serious and she wasn't sure if this surprised her, or her angered her, or hurt her more. She just knew that it was the truth.

"And ya would know this how?" Rogue found herself sounding defensive and pulling her hand away from his suddenly. She didn't want to, but part of her still wanted to believe that the people who had brought her into this world had some sliver of humanity left.

Gambit understood her anger and while part of him wanted to retaliate; wanted her to realize that the people she called family truly didn't give a shit about her he did his best to reply to her calmly. He clenched his jaw pulled his hand back from across the table.

"I'm a thief remember. I take advantage of those who don't know what treasures lie in deir homes, in deir safes, in deir most protected places. I take advantage of those who take for granted what dey have," Gambit responded and Rogue could have sworn his eyes burned a hole in her heart their gaze was so intense.

Was he saying that he stole her? That he had coveted her away from those who didn't deserve her? Rogue didn't know what to say. A part of her, the independent part wanted to be upset that he had just objectified her, said that she was just something to be stolen and put on a mantle. But another part of her, a more primal part was flying, soaring high over clouds because he had just said that she was a treasure in his eyes. He had just said that she was worth stealing.

Rogue blushed and glanced down at her fingers as she fiddled with them in her lap. When she looked up Gambit was leaning across the table reaching for her hand again and when she felt his hand wrap around hers it was the most reassuring thing in the world. She was no longer angry, no longer hurt. It was like she was floating once again in the sea with him beside her. Nothing felt more natural.

"I'm sorry chere. I didn't mean ta upset y'. For all I know y' parents could have a whole search team comin' after y'," Rogue's eyes widened at that statement and she jumped back slightly.

She hadn't thought about that either. She hadn't thought that if she went missing her parents would be on the way to finding her. She was staring to think she didn't think this whole plan through. Gambit chuckled and grinned mischievously at her.

"Is that a possibility?" Rogue asked quietly; Remy caught her fearful undertone.

He nodded. "Oui it is… mais it's unlikely if dey do send out a search team dat we will be found."

He sounded so sure. Like he had everything, every deviation, every twist and turn planned to the tee and every response ready in case such things happened. How was that? How did he know what was unknowable?

Remy took her clueless expression as a gesture to continue. "It takes twenty four hours before de police will consider someone a missing person. And even wit y' parents' pull it would be at least eighteen hours. Dat said dey won't be lookin' outta state for at least a week. By dat time we will already be at our destination."

Gambit winked and Rogue felt some of her fears wash away. "Do you think they'll find us?"

Gambit chuckled. "Dat's always a possibility Roguey. But y' have ta remember it wouldn't be kidnapping, it would be a runaway case. And I am de Prince of Thieves so I have many, how should I say, 'tools' at mon disposal."

Rogue nodded as best she could and went back to staring out the window at the cars passing by on the highway and found herself counting how many were State Police and Highway Patrol officers. She knew she was just scaring herself but she couldn't help it. Five…six…seven. How many of these fuckers were there?

The waitress finally came back with their coffee and had another bring their biscuits and gravy and placed them sloppily in front of Gambit and Rogue. Rogue jumped back slightly at the noise of the plates hitting the table, her eyes darted to the waitresses and for a moment she was filled with fear. She shook her head of such nonsense. No one was after her. It wasn't like she was a wanted fugitive or something.

Rogue added six sugars and three creamers to her cup of coffee without any emotion. Her face was stoic, lost in thoughts of how horrible it would be to be caught and brought back home, to live out the rest of her life as a prisoner in her own home only being let out for special events where her parents needed her to play the role of 'Perfect child number 2'.

"Do y' want some coffee wit y' cream and sugar?" Gambit joked.

He hoped it would bring her out of whatever train of thought she was having. He knew he shouldn't have told her but she would have needed to know the truth eventually. It something did happen, if they did get caught he wouldn't be able to live with himself is she didn't know.

He hoped she knew that she was worth whatever punishment he would receive from coveting her, but deep down he was ashamed because there was a possibility that her punishment in the event of their being caught was worth all this. The last thing he would want would be to cause her anymore pain. He shook such thoughts from his mind as he plastered a sideways grin at her.

Rogue snapped from her trance looking into his mesmerizing eyes and the way the glinted as if for her. Surely this couldn't just be for her. She found herself blushing and the thoughts from earlier today rushing through her mind and growing and flowing in such ways that were embarrassing and exhilarating .

"What, this is the best way ta have coffee Swamp Rat," Rogue replied with an air of superiority as she brought the cup to her lips and sipped seductively.

Remy watched as her lips made their home around the lip of the mug and instinctively he licked his lips. God she was driving him insane in the best and worst ways possible. Such simple things and she would set him over the edge. How was he going to live with himself on this damn trip if she was going to be doing such things.

"Non, mon belle River Rat. Y' get none of de flavor of de coffee dat way. Not that y' supposed to be drinkin' instant anyways. Just wait, when we get to where we're goin' I'll show y' what real coffee is," Gambit commented with a serene smile on his face as if he was a thousand miles away.

Rogue quirked her eyebrows as she began to dig into her biscuits and gravy. "Are ya ever gonna tell me exactly where we're goin'?"

Gambit speared a piece of biscuit and popped into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He gave Rogue a look as if he was genuinely pondering whether or not to tell her and then shook his head. "Nahh, I t'ink I'll let y' suffer."

Rogue rolled her eyes and a bite out of her burnt sausage staring at Gambit all the while. She didn't know that what she was doing was unnerving. She just couldn't take her eyes off him. It was hard not to look at something so obviously pleasing to the eye.

It also didn't help that she wasn't chewing but rather sucking on the meat of the sausage. Gambit took a big gulp of his coffee, diverting his eyes from how her lips were wrapped around her breakfast. He choked as the coffee burned his throat.

Rogue chomped down on her sausage and quickly reached over the table patting Gambit on the back. "Ya okay, sugah?"

"Huhh," Gambit responded in a winded tone. "Y-yeah," he coughed. "Just—went down the wrong pipe."

They finished eating and paid the bill. Rogue used the restroom once more, fearful that there wouldn't be many restrooms on the way to wherever it was they were going and she couldn't handle not only sharing a motel room with Gambit but then also having him witness her peeing in a bush somewhere along a deserted highway. A lady needed to keep some mystery.

They trekked out to the truck and Gambit jumped into the back of the truck and began ruffling through their bags quickly.

"What are ya doin' ya crazy Cajun!?" Rogue called out as she stood with the passenger door halfway open.

"Lookin' for somethin' obviously!" he called back still pushing articles of clothing and toiletries around.

"And what might that be!?" Rogue yelled back slightly irritated.

"Y' sense of humor!" he said standing up with his fists at his waist and smiling down at Rogue a pile of his and her clothes beneath him.

"Oh your gonna get it!" Rogue called back as she climbed up over the side of the truck into the bed attempting to tackle Gambit.

He dodged her juking swiftly back and forth. Rogue couldn't catch him and she found herself tripping on the clothes he had piled at his feet. He grinned devilishly at her, his eyes glinting a bright crimson as she chased after him. She finally caught hold of his arm and then he sneakily and smoothly disarmed her; twisting her arm behind her back.

His lips were at her ear and his heavy breathing washed over her sensitive skin and Rogue felt nerve endings burst with sudden pleasure. "Say uncle?" Gambit asked playfully.

Rogue leaned her head back and Gambit was suddenly caught up in the slope of her neck and the creamy flesh that seemed to call out to him. He moved down to press his lips to that perfect soft flesh and Rogue took advantage of his distraction. She scooped her foot behind his and knocked him off his feet.

"Never!" Rogue declared.

Gambit landed on his butt and Rogue giggled for a moment too caught up in the surprise that flickered across his face to see that he too swept his foot beneath her legs and soon she too was on her ass in the bed of the truck.

She looked up and before she knew it Gambit was flipping gracefully out of the truck and onto the driver's side of the truck watching as Rogue pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He looked back at her and she pecked him on the cheek before unwinding from around him.

"Come on, we best get ta puttin' all our shit back into our bags, smart one," Rogue chided Gambit as she held her hand out to him.

"Dis a truce den?" Gambit grinned at her with that tone that said he wasn't giving in even if they said it was a truce.

"Sure," Rogue said rolling her eyes as she jumped back into the bed of the truck and proceeded to stuff her things back into her duffel bag. "Now get ya ass up here and start puttin' this stuff back."

Gambit laughed and then joined her in messily pushing their things back into their bags and then proceeding down the highway. Their journey had just begun and for the moment their fears were miles away.


	13. I Can Never Say No

_**Present Day- A Hotel Room**_

She had told herself she wasn't going to follow him home. Okay maybe not home, but to where he was staying. She knew better than to do that. She was responsible for not only herself but her reputation, for her relationship with Bobby, but she couldn't help herself when she was in his arms. All things went out the window.

He had merely suggested it. They were already cuddled up in the booth at the diner. Their hearts on their sleeves, so open to one another. There was no other way to be with them. Everything was out in the open, especially their hearts.

So here she was entering this anything but small hotel room as he held the door open for her. It was a suite and a nice one at that and from what she could tell he had been here only today, his bags laid closed and zipped up in the middle of the living area.

Rogue walked into the center of the living room with her arms wrapped around herself. She felt so vulnerable, and this felt wrong even though she knew it could never be; not when Remy was involved. He was beside her that next moment, cradling her from behind.

It wasn't how she would have imagined it. It was better and worse. He was so close but there was a distance there. Not because he didn't want to hold her close but because he knew he shouldn't. There were still other people involved whether they were wanted or not.

Rogue let out a simple sigh and pulled away from him slightly, slowly moving towards the couch and taking a seat, staring back at him. He gave her a half-hearted smile putting his hands in his pockets. He looked so sheepish. It hit her straight in the chest. It reminded her of the past.

"I said no strings attached chere, I merely wanted y' company," Remy said quietly as he turned towards the kitchenette.

"Ya should know better than to say such things to me, Gambit," Rogue replied through a smile.

He looked back at her and she could see the amusement in his eyes, "Oh?"

"Ah remember that line especially well. Ya used it and Ah would only give in that much more," Rogue's lips tugged into a serene smile as memories played over in her head. Then she remembered they weren't living in the past.

He watched as her expression ran seamlessly from playful to saddened. He took a deep breath. It wasn't like he was trying to cause her life turmoil but it was so hard to be apart from her given the circumstances. If she hadn't walked back into his life that day he was unsure of how he would be dealing with things now.

"Y' want somethin' ta drink chere?" he asked as he started to pour himself some bourbon into a small glass. Rogue nodded from where she was.

Rogue couldn't process this whole day. It was just too much. When did things just tumble into her being in a hotel room with the only man she had ever loved? She was twenty-one and it didn't seem like anything had changed between them in the past five years. She was once again pining to be in his arms just for a night.

Remy joined her on the couch handing her, her glass of bourbon. They sat in silence for a few seconds just staring off into the distance unable to break the tension that they could feel bubbling.

"Why did ya invite me here Gambit?" Rogue asked as she placed her lips around the glass, taking a small sip, still staring at the wall fiercely.

Remy smiled slightly at her use of his nickname. She only called him Remy if she was angry, or if she was upset. If she called him Gambit it was a good sign. Or so he thought. He rested his elbows on his knees, holding his glass between his hands, his hair just falling into his eyes enough that he looked more brooding than usual.

He shrugged. "I didn't want ta be alone."

Rogue craned her neck to stare at him. Her eyes were boring into his, attempting desperately to find an ulterior motive to what he said.

"Ya could have just as easily called someone else up here ta take care of that," Rogue said suggestively. She knew if he had an itch that needed to be scratched she shouldn't be at the top of his list.

Gambit's eyes flamed for a moment as he gaped at Rogue. His body was now fully turned towards hers and despite the fact that they were both sitting down Rogue felt as though he was towering over her.

"Did y' ever consider dat maybe I wanted to be wit you?" his tone wasn't angry, or upset, but a sad sort of resigned.

Rogue looked into his eyes and the way they seemed to beg her to understand. She was scared of the thought. It sent chills running down her spine and she could have sworn she actually shivered at that possibility.

"Remy we can't-" Rogue protested as she shut her eyes. She would lose all her resolve if she kept looking at him.

He chuckled lightly and Rogue's eyes burst open suddenly. Why was he laughing?

"I didn't mean like dat," she eyed him skeptically. He recovered quickly, "Not dat I would be entirely opposed ta the idea. It's just….I could spend de rest of mon life sitting in this room doin' nothing but staring at the damn wall, as long as you were wit me."

God she hated him sometimes. He knew just what to say in the worst kind of way. He literally could charm the pants off a nun and she knew it and she was no nun.

Rogue shook her head and laughed at him. "We both know we wouldn't make it a day starin' at that wall for the rest of our lives."

Remy cocked his head to the side and nodded. "Oui, but if I had to I would, fo' mon chere."

Rogue took a deep breath and ran her hands over her face. "You are so impossible Remy Lebeau," she let in an exasperated sigh.

Remy chuckled that deep bassy laugh that made Rogue smile without even thinking about it and she didn't know what to do anymore. She didn't have to think though because before she knew it she was hitting him over the head with one of the couch pillows and there was nothing left to be said. She had forgotten about all things that didn't involve chasing Gambit around an empty hotel room with a feather pillow and being chased by him as well. Things really hadn't changed.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Gambit and Rogue watched as the sun slowly began to descend in front of them. It felt like they had been on the road for a week. Sure they had made many a pee stop at gas station or the side of the road (Gambit was none too shy about peeing on a bush) and had one too many a food fight (Rogue's hair was currently tinted orange form Cheetos and Gambit's white shirt t-shirt from Slushees) but it seemed as if their life began and ended on this highway.

Now anxiety began to set in for Rogue. She could see just how tired Gambit was. They had had fun a while ago singing horribly to the radio but he soon got tuckered out. Rogue smiled to herself. He got tuckered out like a little kid.

She knew they would have to stop soon at a motel and that meant figuring out sleeping arrangements. Rogue stared out the window as she felt herself blush at the thought. Gambit and Rogue would be sleeping in the same room together.

She watched the highway as little lights came on in the distance; they were coming upon a more populated town. Gambit yawned and Rogue looked over to him as he turned on his blinker. She watched his eyes flicker to her for approval in a sheepish manner that she didn't know existed in him. She smirked and looked back out the window. He was tired. She wasn't going to deny him a good night's sleep.

The second they pulled off the highway there were a slew of motels, each advertising something different: free cable, free wifi, free towels. Rogue watched as Gambit slowly pulled into a smallish motel that looked reasonably clean and respectable and drove up to the entrance, he left the engine running.

"Be right back chere. Stay in the car, it's pretty chilly out here," Gambit declared as he stepped out of the truck.

Rogue narrowed her eyes and knitted her brows. It was July and they were somewhere in New Mexico. There's no possible way it was cold. And then he opened the door and rush full of cold air hit her face. Okay maybe it was cold.

It seemed like hours before Gambit got back and Rogue was more than paranoid. It was dark now and she was in a truck, in some strange place, all alone. She was cursing Gambit for leaving her by herself when she watched him exit from the lobby with a keycard in hand and his shoulders hunched up and his hands in his pockets.

He quickly pulled the door open and jumped into the truck. "Yeesh it is freezin' out dere."

Rogue smiled at him, "Yeah the one time ya aren't wearin' you're damn trench coat and its cold."

Gambit chuckled his deep throaty laugh and Rogue grinned widely at him. He slowly pulled away from the entrance following the parking lot around back and parking. He kept muttering '236' to himself as they walked up the stairs to the second level and passed each door. Finally he found their room and slipped the keycard in before opening the door.

As far as motel rooms went this one could have been worse. It wasn't horrifying but it wasn't anything to write home about either. Not that Rogue planned on writing home, ever. The room was clean and simple if not small. But that's not what Rogue was worried about. She looked in and the first thing she saw was two double beds. She turned to look at Gambit who was avoiding eye contact acting as if he was too busy setting their things down on the small table by the window to notice her.

She wasn't sure if she should be relieved or worried. Did this mean that they were just friends? Did he not think she was worthy of sharing a bed with? Or was he merely thinking about her comfort? Rogue was beyond confused.

"So y' wanna shower first?" Gambit asked as nonchalantly as possible.

Rogue jerked back around. She was still staring at the damn _beds_.

"Hmm?"

"Shower. Do y' wanna take one first or…"

Rogue shook her head free of all the various thoughts about the implications of two separate beds. She swore that she was diagramming his motivation like it was some sort of Calculus proof. "Oh umm go ahead Ah'm gonna look at room service, Ah'm still kinda hungry."

Gambit gave her a careful nod before gathering a few things and moving into the bathroom. Once she heard the door close and the water start to run Rogue let out a long held sigh and sat down on the comfy bed.

She took the room service menu and held it in her hands in vain. What the hell was she going to do? How the hell was she going to sleep in the same room as Gambit, _Gambit_! I mean it was one thing when he was living in the same house as her, she didn't have to watch him sleep. Not that she was going to watch him sleep. But damnit the same goddamn room. She was going to die.

Yeah they were in this weird grey area where they weren't exactly official yet or at least she thought so but she still was going to die. Sure she felt comfortable doing stupid stuff around him like having Cheeto fights and chasing him around his truck but this may have been too much too fast.

Rogue shook her head and pulled her hands down her face. 'Hello, earth to Rogue, you're traveling across state lines with this guy of course its too much too fast!' she thought. She told herself to just keep breathing. And that's what she did. Until Gambit exited the bathroom. She swore she audibly yelped at the sight.

Why the hell did he have to come out of there looking like that? He wasn't wearing a shirt but that was the least of Rogue's worries. She was too busy staring at how absolutely freaking hot he looked with his hair wet and dripping and the parts falling into his eyes which just made them look even redder and mesmerizing.

She was so caught up in staring at his face that she nearly didn't take in the sight of the small droplets of water that were clinging to his chest and stomach. God how in the world did he get that kind of stomach. He had abs like Jesus, but better!

Rogue quickly got up from the bed and began shuffling through her duffle bag to find something to wear to sleep. And before Gambit knew it she had locked herself in the bathroom leaving him standing halfway between the beds and the bathroom door utterly confused. Rogue was on the other side of the door desperately hoping that the heat from the water would stop her from hyperventilating.

Gambit ruffled the hair at the back of his neck before taking a seat on the bed and turning on the TV. He would need some sort of distraction for sure if he planned on not thinking about how Rogue was twenty feet away naked and wet. He felt himself twitch.

He clenched his jaw. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. He chanted this in his head in hopes of forgetting what his mind had previously been thinking of and hoping the physical response to such thoughts would also disappear.

He began flipping channels trying to drown himself in horrible reality TV to get his mind off of Rogue. He stopped when he got to some stupid show with some hideously spray tanned midget with a tower of hair attached to her head. Yeah this was it. Staring at this thing would definitely keep him from getting another _stirring_.

After thirty minutes of freak out time in the shower, Rogue emerged in a pair of comfy pajama pants and a tank top breathing as steadily as she could possibly muster. Gambit was still sitting on one of the beds, the one closest to the door, his legs making a four on the bed and his torso propped up by pillows, the remote still in his hand.

Rogue stared at him for a moment wide eyed. All of the calm she had rallied up in the shower suddenly dissipated when she looked at him. She bit her lip hard as she stared at him. Why did he have to wear only a pair of lose fitting basketball shorts to sleep? Was he trying to drive her insane?

Gambit tore his eyes away from the TV for a moment and regretted it immediately. She was just too much for him. She was so innocent and yet that body of hers screamed sin. And then she was biting her lip in that aggravatingly sexy way with those big doe eyes of hers and he couldn't help but let out a silent groan. There was little he could do to hide if he got a little too excited with what he was wearing.

Rogue set her clothes down next to her duffle bag before taking a seat on her bed, making sure to keep her eyes down on the carpet. There was no way she was going to look at Gambit again tonight if she could help. No she was not going to look at him. Not going to look over at him.

"Did y' still wanna order room service?" Gambit gulped as he kept staring at the TV. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes.

Goddamnit. Rogue turned and looked at him. Their eyes met. All bets were off in that moment. She licked her lips. He was making her want to weep. She was making him wish he had gotten separate bedrooms.

"Ummm Ah'm not hungry anymore," _at least not for food_, she finished in her head. She tore her eyes away from his.

"Oh…okay," Gambit replied as he fake yawned. "Well, I'm tired, best be off to bed, have a long drive still," he said so quickly Rogue could barely understand what he was saying.

Gambit quickly shut off the TV, the bedside lamp and burrowed deep into the sheets turning away from Rogue. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes. Back acne, Henri, hairy dudes.

Rogue slowly removed the blanket from her bed and slipped underneath it. She could still hear Gambit breathing in the bed beside her, could still see the simple curve of his neck and shoulders leading to his arm. Seriously that's all it took to get her wound up? She had it bad. She let out small sigh and stared at the ceiling counting popcorn ceiling thingies hoping she would fall asleep.

It was pitch black when Gambit awoke again. He heard… thrashing? He sat up in bed, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dark as he searched for the source of the sound. Then he heard whimpers. He jumped out of bed and rushed to Rogue's side in a fight stance ready to defend her when he realized no one was there.

"Chere…Rogue… chere," he whispered to her as he gently shook her shoulder.

Her hair was splayed against her pillow and the sheets were wrapped around her as she moved this way and that. Rogue suddenly sat up, gasping for air, swatting back and almost hitting Gambit. She took a second to catch her breath as Gambit tried to calm her down, his hand stroking her shoulder.

"Rogue are y' okay?" Gambit asked with great concern.

Rogue looked back at him her cheeks a bright red. "Hmmm….ummm…yeah…just had a…nightmare."

"Do y' want anything?" Gambit asked still kneeling at Rogue's bedside.

Rogue looked at him. Stared into those crimson depths and the way they held her gaze and kept her hypnotized. She blurted out the first thing she thought. It was the worst thing she could have said.

"Can you lay with me?"

She sounded so vulnerable. She looked it too. With her eyes wide with the just fading fear from her nightmare and her lips still taking in soft, quick breaths. Gambit clenched his jaw. It's not like he could say no.

Rogue watched as he debated with himself. She looked down at her bed and didn't meet his eyes. He wouldn't do it. Who was she kidding, he was gorgeous and she was, well, her.

"Never mind…I'm jus-just overreacting," she whispered to her sheets.

Gambit lifted her blanket and began to scooch in beside her. "Non its fine, scoot over some."

Rogue's eyes grew ten times bigger as she slowly inched to the opposite side of the bed. Gambit's eyes never left hers as he moved to cradle her to his bare chest. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body in waves. It was immediately comforting. It was like being washed over by waves.

She lay facing him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. He didn't care anymore about how he may react. She was scared. All he wanted to do was comfort her. He pushed the hair out of her face and trailed his hand down her face and neck. Rogue felt the trail of fire he ignited as his fingers ran across her skin.

Rogue opened her mouth to say thank you but no words escaped. No she couldn't speak. Because her lips were suddenly and feverishly pressed against Gambit's. He didn't stop her. He pulled her closer to him, molding his body to hers as she moved her lips in time with his.

His hands ran up and down her arms, to the small of her back, under her tank top, where he traced small circles sending small sparks running through her limbs. Rogue wrapped her leg over his hip as he ran his tongue along her lip and she granted him access to her mouth, melding her tongue with his.

She was out of breath. This was the farthest they had ever taken this and she wanted to keep going, wanted to feel him as close to her as possible, wanted to put an end to this fire that he only seemed to be building with his every touch.

Gambit was trying to breathe as he felt Rogue's hands trace the waist band of his basketball shorts. He growled into her mouth as her nails grazed his hipbones. She smirked into his lips. She was getting a rise out of him and it was exhilarating.

Gambit was just trying to keep his mind conscious of what he was doing, but so much of her called to him, to touch, to taste. His lips began to trail down her neck as she slowly began to inch his shorts downwards. Gambit took in a sharp breath. This was the point of no return. He knew he was going to regret this.


	14. You Are the Worst Influence

**A/N: Okay Quick note, you guys are gonna probably hate me at the beginning of this chapter and then love me at the end so just so you don't get super pissed at where this starts off and veers to remember the ending! Okay yeah that's all. And thanks guys for all the reviews I love getting those emails more than you'll ever know. Okay trying to keep this short and sweet. K bye!**

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><p><em><strong>Present Day- A Hotel Room<strong>_

Gambit and Rogue lay out of breath in his hotel room, on his bed. Gambit had this expression on his face as if he was trying hard not to grin but if Rogue knew anything about Remy it was how he couldn't help himself when it came to that wolfish grin of his.

Rogue smacked him good once over the head as she turned to face him. He looked down at her and pulled her head up on his chest and she couldn't help that she instinctively snuggled closer to him. She could smell the light sheen of sweat on his skin. She had missed this.

"So was it as good as y' remember?" Gambit asked cheekily, gazing down at her head.

Rogue rolled her eyes and watched the mischievous red crackle in his eyes as he tried to keep from chuckling.

"Don't make me throw another pillow at ya head, Cajun," Rogue warned him as she warmed her feet against his.

"Oooh I love it when y' talk dirty ta me," he crooned and Rogue swiftly picked up the pillow she had previously had her head on and smacked him good once in the head.

He laughed as he threw the pillow to the floor and began to stroke her hair. He missed having her with him. He missed how simple things were between them even when they were complicated. It was like nothing could keep them unhappy for long as long as they were with each other.

"Gambit?"

"Hmm?"

"This is the first time Ah've been in a hotel room in five years," Rogue commented lightly, her finger was tracing pictures in his palm.

Gambit kept stroking her hair. "I guess y' can't say y' didn't have fun both times huh Roguey," he commented suggestively.

"That Ah cannot. But the anxiety was there both times," she replied honestly.

"Oh?" Gambit acted shocked. "I don't remember there being any anxiety later on that night."

Rogue shook her head and clenched her jaw to try to stop herself from smiling. How did he have that affect on her of just making her smile with the worst jokes and most suggestive comments? She should be embarrassed or upset but no she was smirking and so was he.

"Yeah well Ah don't know if you remember but Ah was an innocent little girl when Ah met ya," Rogue replied in her most saccharine tone.

Gambit chuckled and Rogue felt the vibrations of his laugh resonate through his chest to her head. It was the most calming sensation she'd ever experienced.

"Yeah well I don't know if y' remember but I almost swallowed my tongue fifty times that night because said innocent little girl looked like a sex kitten walkin' outta dat shower," Gambit defended.

Rogue jerked her head upward and stared at him. "Oh like you were any better comin' outta the bathroom shirtless and all glistenin' and shit."

Gambit gave her that lopsided grin, his eyes growing a brighter scarlet by the second. "Oh so I was _glistenin'_. Hmm… no wonder you couldn't keep your hands off me. Was I glistenin' this afternoon?"

"Oh you are soooo going ta get it now!"

Rogue sat halfway up as she reached underneath him for the pillow and yanked, laughing as Gambit's head hit the bed and proceeding to hit him with it. It only worked for a moment because then Gambit grabbed a hold of one end and yanked it and soon they were both kneeling on the bed fighting over the pillow.

Then suddenly, Gambit let one hand go and leaned over and began to tickle Rogue and she burst into fits of laughter as he leaned over her moving his hands up and down her waist, tickling Rogue and thoroughly enjoying the delight written on her face.

She was writhing beneath him and soon she had forgotten all about the tickling and so had he and he was just hovering above her. They both saw that look in each others' eyes. They both knew it well. Rogue gave him a seductive smile as she leaned forward; her lips mere inches from his and…

Remy's phone rang.

"Baise! (Fuck)!" Remy whispered angrily, the air shooting across Rogue's face. "I have to get dat, it might be Etienne."

"Okay," Rogue said in that breathy voice that made Remy groan. He hovered over her for a moment longer, staring into those lush green eyes and bright lips, breathing; hearing the phone ring and ring in the background.

He growled and then stood up and walked over to the living room where his phone sat on the coffee table and answered it. God would he regret answering that phone for the rest of his life.

"Hello?" he said trying to hide how irritated he was at being disturbed.

"Remy?" the voice gasped between sobs. Gambit let out a frustrated breath.

"What is it Belle? I told y' not ta call me," he said coldly.

"I know mais Remy I miss y'. I'm so sorry please come home, Julien misses y' he wants his papa back home," Bella Donna sniffled.

"Well maybe y' should have thought 'bout dat before y' decided to open y' legs to the entire fuckin' city huh," Gambit spat.

He heard Belle wail on the other end. "Please Remy, I didn't mean to-"

"Non, Belle y' did mean to, y' just didn't mean ta get caught."

"Don't do this Remy we have a family. Think of dem, of de Guilds."

"Goodbye Belle, we'll discuss dose matters when I get back in a week," and with that Remy hung up leaving Bella Donna speechless on the other end.

He turned to look at Rogue and saw her sitting at the edge of the bed, her head in her hands. God he could kill Bella Donna right now. He rushed to her and she looked up at him with guilt stricken eyes rimmed with tears.

"Aww, chere don't. Please don't cry," he pleaded with her as he brought her head once more to its place on his chest. She wrapped her arms around his torso taking a deep breath of his beautiful scent.

"What're we doin' Gambit?" she cried into his shirt.

"What do y' mean?" He pulled his head back to look her in the eyes.

"I mean that we both have people waitin' for us at home and we're here…doin'….this," Rogue could barely speak.

Gambit gave her a once over. She had been so perfectly fine not but five minutes ago. They had been fine when it had just been them, in their own personal little world. It had always been fine that way, better than fine, it had been perfect. But the world always got in the way.

"Non, I don't have anythin' waitin' at home for me," Gambit replied coldly. He would no longer force himself to feed into the lie. He couldn't pretend to love Belle anymore.

"Yes ya do!" Rogue yelled at him as she moved out of his arms achingly slow. It was so hard to be angry at him even when she knew she was right. "You have Bella Donna and Julien and Ah have Bobby and-and we can't keep actin' like this knowin' that."

"Yes we can because we don' love dem. I've never loved Bella Donna, not even close to how much I love y' and y' can't tell me that it's not that same wit dat homme y' been seein'," Gambit tried not to snarl.

Rogue stood up and ran her hands through her hair stepping away from Remy. It would be easier to do this if she wasn't looking at him.

"Y' can't tell me y' actually love him!" Gambit yelled.

Rogue spun to face him, "That's not the point. We're not kids anymore Remy! We can't just think about ourselves! There are other people to take into account."

Rogue walked to the living room and started to gather her things. She shouldered her purse and stared at him. She hated that pleading look in his eyes; it made her want to stay all the more and she knew she couldn't do that.

"Please, chere, don't go," he whispered, holding her hand in his. That small little contact driving her insane. She could feel his love for her surging through his skin and onto hers from that simple gesture.

Rogue licked her lips and took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She didn't know what to do anymore. "There are some things Ah have ta take care of back at the Institute."

There was a long silence. "But I'll…I'll come back after. Okay?"

She opened her eyes to see his trying to discern how truthful she was. He pulled her into him and she was lost in the firm hold he had on her and the way his body fit hers perfectly even fully clothed. He kissed the top of her head.

And try as she might to just keep standing there holding him for eternity and try as he might to stop her they couldn't make time stand still. She was gone and he was standing in his hotel room alone.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Gambit's head was swimming with all the ideas of things that could happen in the next two seconds. His head was full of possibilities. He was desperately trying to hold onto some sense of decency as he felt Rogue's soft fingertips graze him _there_. He closed his eyes and pulled back as gently and deliberately as he could.

"Rogue stop," he said. Part of him could not believe the words that were coming out of his mouth, the other part couldn't believe he was even considering doing this.

_Are y' insane Lebeau!_ his mind seemed to scream. _She beggin' fo' y'_.

_She doesn't know what's goin' on. She's not ready_, the other part chided.

Rogue's eyes grew wide suddenly and she pressed her lips closed at the feeling of space and not Gambit's pressed against them. She gulped down her anxiety. She looked on the verge of tears. So he didn't want her.

"Oh, no chere. It's not like that," Gambit tried to console her as she turned onto her back. "It's just…I don't want y' to think that we _have_ ta do this."

Rogue tried to muster up the courage to look back at him, from the corner of her eye she could see his eyes pleading with her in the darkness, their red irises completely visible in the blackness. She didn't know what to say. Did she want to do this? She thought she did.

She turned to face him and attempted to pull him to her again, pressing her lips hungrily against his and rubbing her hips into his fiercely.

"Rogue please chere, I can only control myself for so long," Gambit pleaded with her as he untangled her arms from around his neck.

"Ah don't want ya to control yourself," Rogue once again pushed her body against his.

"Rogue I care about y'. I don't want what we have ta only be 'bout dis," Gambit tried to reason with her.

Rogue huffed and pulled back, turning over and folding her arms not daring to look at Gambit. "So because ya care about me we're never going to…" she made an odd gurgling sound. "We're never going ta.."

Gambit chuckled at her and she gave him a death glare that he didn't think somebody so young and innocent could possibly be able to send. It was like she was stabbing him with her eyeballs.

"Don' look at me dat way. Y' can't even say de words Roguey. And I don't expect y' ta think that jus' because we're sharin' a bed that I can't possibly keep mon hands to myself."

"But what if Ah don't want ya to keep ya hands to yourself, huh, what about that?" Rogue gritted out angrily.

Gambit ran a hand down her bare arm to her waist and held her there. He was staring into her bright emerald irises and watching as they were hardened over in sexual frustration veiled by anger. It made him grin, because he knew she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.

"Look I brought y' here wit no strings attached. Y' don't have ta do anythin' y' don't wanna."

Rogue pushed herself into his hands, "Well Ah want strings. Ah want all the strings in the world."

She pressed her lips firmly against his. He was not going to charm his way out of this. Gambit pushed her back by her shoulders gently, using his hands to keep her from turning away when he saw that angry glint in her eyes and she let out a growl.

"Rogue, I don't want to do this like this. When we…" he let out a deep breath and it washed over Rogue's face inherently calming her down. She hated that just the scent of him could cause that effect especially when she was beyond belief aggravated at him.

"When we do have sex, I want it ta be special fo y'. I don't want y' to feel like we rushed into it."

He stroked her hair back as she stared down at the sheets between them. So he did want her, just not right this second. He wanted to wait for her sake. Part of her hated him for that but the other part couldn't believe how absolutely sweet he was being. He really did care about her. Why else would he be doing all this, not just the waiting to have sex, but everything?

Rogue snuggled a little bit closer to him and then let out a deep breath. "This sucks," Rogue said quietly.

Gambit laughed and Rogue eyed him half pissed off half amused at his reaction. He gently kissed her lips, in that way that had ignited things in the first place. That kind of kiss that ran through her limbs like lightning. She moaned into his mouth.

When he pulled away he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "Y' know half the fun of sex is de build up Roguey," there was that mischievous glint in his eyes again and he was licking his lips in that beyond belief frustrating way that made Rogue want to jump his bones. Was he trying to drive her insane?

"Well the building up is killing me," Rogue whined. She wanted him here and now, why was he denying her.

"There are other ways ta take care of dat," Gambit replied suggestively and Rogue's heart sped up to the point where she knew he had to hear it.

"What do ya mean?" she knew exactly what he meant but she wasn't going to leave any of this to chance. If he was just teasing her, she was going to kill him.

"Well…" he began but he never finished the sentence because he once again had Rogue glued to his lips.

This time was slightly less feverish but none of the heat was missing. She realized that this was better. There wasn't as much pressure. She felt like she could just enjoy the moment without having to worry about taking things past a certain point. Maybe Gambit had been right, maybe waiting was the best thing at the moment.

His hands were back at her hips as he rolled her over onto her back and gently pressed his body against her. She was losing breath and her head was becoming cloudy with the spice filled scent of Gambit filling her nostrils.

Gambit pinned her underneath him as he slowly began to undulate his body atop hers. _Oh_, Rogue thought as she felt him move and swerve in delightful ways. Well this wasn't as bad as she thought. His hands traced her body and she was just trying to take in every sensation.

They were moving across her collarbone, along her neck, her arms, her waist, her hips. God the things he could do with those hands. She was whimpering into his lips and she could feel his wolfish grin as she did so only adding fuel to the fire.

She was moving her hands up and down his back, her nails digging into his shoulder blades, running up and down his arms as she held on and he kept up his slow and thrilling movements atop her. She felt his hands slowly crawl up her stomach, and wait just above her chest.

She nipped at his lip. She wanted him to keep going and she could tell he was waiting to see what she would do. She snaked her hands down to his and pushed his palm against her breast and she gasped softly as he began to knead them in exquisite ways.

It seemed like hours before they stopped. Gambit began to slow, inching his body from hers as he placed light kisses along her neck and collarbone until he met her lips and took them in his own.

Rogue was fully satisfied and it was a wonderful notion. She thought that she would be left flustered and upset by his movements and in all reality they did make her want to keep going but he had created a spark that would only continue to build for the rest of her life she thought.

She rolled over to face him as he cradled her towards his chest in a sleepy fashion. He yawned and Rogue smiled. It was already morning. They would have to be getting up soon anyways. But she could spend forever, right here, just lying in his arms, half full on him. She wanted oh so much more and she knew eventually he would give it to her and he was right, the expectation of such a thing was making her skin crawl in oh so delightful ways.

He stroked her arms as she grazed his hips and stomach just listening to his heart beat. It was fast and slow all at once. She pressed a hand to her own chest. Bump, bump, bump-bump, bump-bump. Their rhythm was perfectly complimentary, like a slow dance, his led and hers followed. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Eventually after a few minutes of lying on the bed entangled together half clothed, Gambit stretched out his arms and let out a deep yawn and Rogue knew that it would be time to leave. He smiled down at her as her grip on him tightened a little. She felt his face move towards hers.

"Don't worry chere, we'll have a lot of time ta have _fun_ once we get ta where we're goin'," Gambit whispered into her ear and she blushed profusely. His deep bass like voice was so seductive that it made her just fall to pieces.

They got up and began to pack up their things to check out and hit the road. The sun had yet to fully rise and Rogue could feel the cold chill in the morning air. It felt amazing against her overheated skin. She smiled and looked at Gambit as she threw her duffel bag into the bed of the truck beside his.

"Are ya ever gonna tell me where we're goin'?" she asked with just a tinge of attitude.

He grinned broadly at her and tsked. "Now Roguey, where be the fun in dat? Y'll ruin the surprise."

Rogue set her jaw and climbed into the truck along with him. "Can ya at least tell me exactly how long we're gonna be on the road from here?"

Gambit half laughed, half sighed and began to pull out from the parking lot. "Y' are too much Roguey. If y' must know we'll be there by late tonight if we make good time, if not early tomorrow mornin'."

Rogue grinned broadly channeling Gambit. He may have won last night but she won this morning. At least that's what she would tell herself. It was a little consolation in their relationship. It was big step. But what wasn't at this point.


	15. The Fantasy Life

Okay so I supremely suck for not updating in like a while but I've been getting ready to start college. I know like everyone else has already started but my school is like a super procrastinator like me so I guess it works out for the best.

Anyways I just wanted to thank all my reviewers for their thoughts especially when it comes to how much _Belle sucks ass!_

Believe it or not it was my best friend who doesn't even read fanfiction and just found out I write it that said I should update. She fell in love with the story and is pissed it isn't finished because she wants to know more. Which is funny because she was so adverse to the thought of ROMY fic because she doesn't really know they're back story and whatever but she loved it :D. So everyone give a great big hug to her because she is the reason for this update.

Anyways, you guys make me smile with your reviews so please keep em comin' especially you **slightlyxjaded** with your insightfulness, and you **JayDay** with your professions of team loyalty, and you **Warrior-princess1980** with your doubts and you** RRL24** with your sweet little sayings, and of course **JasmineBella** who just always gives the best compliments. Okay all of you are the best especially you new reviewers, like keep reviewing alright, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, so here's another installment.

Oh and _**TEAM ROMY FOREVER! XD**_

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><p><em><strong>Present Day- The Xavier Institute<strong>_

Rogue was wishing she wasn't pulling into the garage of the mansion. She was wishing she hadn't heard the conversation that had taken place between Remy and Bella Donna. She was wishing her life wasn't so fucked up and torn apart. Didn't she deserve a little peace, just a tiny bit?

Her knuckles were ghost white as she gripped the steering wheel, the car no longer moving, just idling in the parking space between Logan's Harley and Scott's Charger. She was trying to calm herself down. She didn't even know what she was doing here; she just knew she needed time away from Remy, to think.

She was wishing she didn't need time to think. She was wishing she didn't need to think altogether. It was so much easier to be around him when her thoughts laid at the wayside. Rogue hit her head lightly against the steering wheel several times.

What was she doing? Was she trying to drive herself insane? She was in love with him. Had always been in love with him but she had commitments and so did he. This was not how she pictured her life would be five years ago.

She kept her car running when the subtle closing of the door to the garage snapped her back to reality. Kitty was standing with her arms crossed and tapping her foot against the concrete floor. Her expression was mildly irritated. Rogue had seen much worse from her.

"Shit…" Rogue muttered to herself as she turned off the engine and began to leave the car.

Kitty stood there in silence glaring at her best friend as she slowly stepped towards her.

"You're late, you were supposed to pick me up from the airport this morning." Kitty chided in that half whiny half angry voice that only she could own. Her brown ponytail swayed this way and that.

"Ah know, Ah'm sorry," Anna apologized half heartedly as she walked through the hallway with Kitty by her side.

"And you went out?"

Rogue held her head down. She really didn't want to talk about that. She desperately wanted to forget about the few hours she spent actually feeling something, more than she had in the past three years. It would never be enough. She would never get enough of him and the worst part was that she didn't want to; she just wanted to stay wrapped in his arms for the rest of her life. But she couldn't. That's what caused this pain.

"Ah'm sorry Kitty. Ah fucked up," Anna said giving her friend an apologetic look.

Kitty gazed over her best friend. There was something wrong. Something more that she wasn't saying. She didn't know where Anna had been. The girl hardly left the Institute without her. But wherever she was, it wasn't good.

"You promised the Professor, Logan and 'Ro that you wouldn't miss anymore sessions. What's going on?" Kitty asked now concerned. She had stopped Anna putting her hand on her friend's shoulder and giving her a heavy brown eyed gaze.

Anna fell apart slightly. She gulped in a deep breath and tried to hold back tears. "Ah don't know…Ah don't know what ta do Kitty."

Kitty's look of shock was enough to send Anna into hysterics. She never cried. Hardly ever. It wasn't something she was accustomed to doing. There were better ways to deal with her emotional torment, or at least that's what she would've told herself before she had come to the Institute.

Kitty pulled her arms around Anna cradling her to her petite body as best she could. She let Rogue cry on her shoulder for a moment before pulling back to look at her with imploring eyes. "Come on Anna, you gotta go talk to Jean."

Anna nodded as best she could and followed Kitty to the doctor's office. She didn't want to go. She wanted to go back to that hotel room where nothing in the world could touch her except Gambit. But she couldn't.

She couldn't go back to him. Because as much as life with him was the most happy she had ever been and would ever be, life with him wasn't real. It wasn't anywhere close to reality. He was her fantasy. The life she wished she could be living.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of Texas. They had been driving nonstop through deserted towns and highways. It was all a bit jarring. There were multiple times where she could have sworn if they had run out of gas, the people from the Hills Have Eyes would have come and murdered them.

But even with fear and paranoia coursing through her veins making her anxious and wide awake, she couldn't stop herself from falling asleep. She was exhausted for some reason. Either way when she felt Gambit begin to nudge her she knew that they had to be close from the wide grin he was wearing on his face. His eyes were crinkling it was so big.

"We're here chere," Gambit beamed as they began to drive down streets filled with lights and music and people. Genuinely happy people all in various states of celebration. It wasn't even a holiday but everyone seemed like they were out rejoicing just to be alive.

After a few moments Rogue immediately knew where they were and her eyes bulged from sheer wonderment. It was magnificent; it was beautiful and seemed like so much fun. People smiled and waved and danced.

"We're in New Orleans," Rogue commented quietly. Gambit smiled broadly.

"Mon hometown."

Rogue could see the absolute joy written all over Gambit's face and couldn't help but feel it run through her like a bolt of electricity. Gambit wasn't just overcome with the fact that this was his first homecoming in years and that the streets seemed to be coming to life just for his and Rogue's sake; it was also because she was with him, to share this experience with. It meant more than even he could understand.

"Y' hungry chere?" Gambit asked as he spread his arm along the seats resting his hand on Rogue's shoulder possessively. She liked the way it felt. Like she was his.

She tried to hear what he was saying. But she was just too astounded with everything going on around her. The neon lights and the smiling people. She hadn't been in the south since she was very young. It had been where she was born. Back when Erik was just a city councilman, before he got big pipe dreams for the presidency.

So much of what she saw before her felt right. She couldn't deny the feeling that this was somehow where she was meant to be. She felt Gambit's fingers slowly stroke her arm and she was snapped from the sight of the people and places and smells and faces and music that permeated the city. She turned to glance at him as he turned his gaze to her expectantly.

"Did y' hear me?" he asked with amusement in his eyes.

Rogue shook her head sheepishly. "Sorry Ah was just…drinkin' it all in. It just feels…." She sighed contentedly and Gambit smiled broadly at her pulling her into him some more. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I know what y' mean chere, I know what y' mean."

They drove for sometime before they finally reached the outskirts of the city and Rogue was surprised when the road they took led them farther away from the bright lights and sounds and closer and closer to deeply wooded area. She shifted in Gambit's arms slightly and turned to him.

"We're not stayin'?" she whispered as the city lights were lost behind long sweeping branches and thick lush leaves.

"Not exactly. We'll be close though, so don' worry," he stated simply as he kept his eyes on the road, the headlights showing only the overgrown and dark foliage that was eerily beautiful.

Rogue could see the fireflies and lightbugs, could hear the cicadas whining in the distance and the sound of bayou frogs singing in the moonlight. It was peaceful to her. So much better than the type of noises she was used to back home. It was like something out of a dream.

Suddenly the truck made a final turn and they pulled up a dirt road. Where exactly were they going? Rogue suddenly felt scared for the first time in the entire trip, really scared. Not that something bad was going to happen but that maybe she had made the wrong decision coming here with Gambit. He gave her a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder before looking back at her.

"Don' worry chere, we'll be dere soon. Y'll see. Y'll love it," he said with that deep bass voice that just made her want to believe, made her want to make him speak more if only to feel the reassuring vibrations of his voice wash over her and cleanse her of this unwarranted fear.

After sometime on the dusty dirt road, it opened up to more overgrown trees. But these had a distinct character. The way they were growing was as if someone had planted them in such a way. Sure they grew up and around this tiny road, in a way that they contorted and formed around one another, but they were in a row; growing like a grove.

Suddenly, the headlights flashed upon a giant wrought-iron gate and behind the gate only partially visible through the trees' hanging branches was the largest mansion Rogue had ever seen. And she was a senator's daughter. She had seen her fair share of mansions. But this was…it was like a freaking castle, just less Medieval Times and more Southern Plantation, but bigger, way bigger.

Rogue was slack jawed and Gambit couldn't help but chuckle at her. She didn't seem to hear him though because she didn't say a word, even as he pulled closer to the gate and rolled down the window to speak into the intercom.

Gambit pressed the intercom and waited for the answer.

A small, nasally and obviously bored voice answered, "Monsieur or Madame please back away from de gate. Dis is private property and we reserve de right in dis de great state of Louisiana to shoot trespassers on-"

Gambit tried to hide the laughter in his voice, "I'm sure Henri would be happy ta know dat you screwin' up on security Emil."

There was a sudden choking on the other line and then the voice proceeded. "Is dat who I think it is?"

"Depends. Are y' gonna let de Prince of Thieves inta his own damn house or am I gonna have ta break in and kick y' puny ass?"

Rogue was still out of it. But hearing Gambit chuckle and speak into the intercom she finally came to and looked at him as he stared at the intercom as if it was some sort of insulting little creature. She heard the voice on the other end of the line curse to themselves and then suddenly the gates were cranking open. The truck moved forward and she stared as Gambit drove forward towards the Plantation/Mansion/Castle.

"Gambit are we…" Rogue asked awestruck as the truck turned past the huge front steps of the mansion towards what she presumed would be the garage.

"Oui, chere. We're home," Gambit smirked knowingly at her.

"Ya mean we're at the-the-"

Gambit shook his head at her with the widest smile she had ever seen him wear, his red irises glinting painfully bright in the darkness of the vehicle. "Oui we at the Thieves Guild headquarters. Or as I like ta call it Lebeau Mansion."

Rogue scoffed, "More like Castle Lebeau."

Gambit laughed heartily as Rogue quirked an eyebrow at him. "Hmm I like dat. Makes us sound jus' as nefarious as we should, like we vampires or somethin."

They pulled into the garage and if Rogue thought that the grounds themselves were large she couldn't believe how large this damn garage was. There had to be every classic car known to man in the thing. It looked more like a car museum, like a warehouse where automobile manufacturers held their wares.

Gambit put a finger under her chin and she shook her head and looked at him with wide eyes. "Y' should close y' mouth chere, y' startin' ta drool."

Rogue gave him a pointed glance. "Well Ah'm sorry but Ah'm not used ta seein' such things on a daily basis."

Gambit gave her a sultry glance before parking the car. As the truck came to a stop, he turned towards her and let his fingers creep across her face, moving the stray white strands from her cheek as his lips came close to her ear. "Well if y' impressed wit dis I can't wait ta see y' reaction ta de family jewels."

Rogue swatted him away as she blushed fiercely and listened to his soothing chuckle beside her. She punched him good once in the arm and he began to rub the spot as he continued to laugh.

"That wasn't even a good joke," Rogue muttered as she unbuckled her seat belt.

As they departed from the truck and closed the doors Rogue saw a two men standing in the nearest doorway. Both were dressed simply and similarly. Her brow furrowed as they slowly approached and went swiftly to the truck and grabbed Gambit's and her duffle bag. Rogue was going to protest when one of the men spoke.

"To de room in de east wing, sir?" his eyes were downcast as if he didn't dare look up into Gambit's face. It made Rogue angry for some reason. It was like the man couldn't even possibly think to look at Gambit. As if he was disfigured or incredibly hideous or something.

"Oui, merci Bryant," Gambit said as he took Rogue's hand in his and waited for the men to depart with their bags before leaving the garage.

It was three seconds in the hallway before a short man with bright red hair and a ruddy face bounded around the corner. He was wearing a brown sweater and khakis and the expression on his face was one of elated shock. He ran straight into Gambit throwing his arms around him in a tight embrace.

Gambit held back as best he could; patting the man awkwardly on the back as he lost his grip on Rogue's hand. He looked to her with a half smile, half shrug as she stared, more than a little confused.

"Well if it isn't de Prince of Thieves back from de sunny west side," the red haired man mused as he pulled back from Gambit and finally took notice of Rogue beside him. "And wit a _pretty_ California femme too. Y' know cousin y' have not lost y' touch. But I would t'ink y' would know betta dan ta bring her _here_ of all places."

Gambit narrowed his eyes at his cousin. Rogue moved closer to him her lips near his ear as she spoke. "Am Ah not supposed ta be here?"

Gambit glared at his cousin. "Non, it fine." He turned. "Emil dis ain't jus' any femme, dis is Rogue she's…well…" he fumbled for the right words. "She's no ordinary femme, she's my…well…y' see."

Emil's eyes seemed to glow as a broad grin spread across his small face. "Oh I see, she's a _special_ femme. Alright, well _special femme_-"

"The name's Rogue," Rogue spoke up slightly irritated and a little more confused. She reached her hand out to shake his.

"Well Rogue, I'm Emil, dis lil batard's cousin," he said as he reached and pulled Rogue's hand to his lips.

Gambit lunged forward and smacked Emil upside the head and the wounded man chuckled in pain as he flinched away from Gambit. As much as Rogue wanted to be upset at him for not knowing how define their relationship, she couldn't really blame him. They hadn't put any labels on it. And she was unsure if they could. 'Oh him, he's the guy I ran halfway across the country with,' or 'That guy, he's the guy who I ran away from home with.'

She couldn't be upset at him. Especially when he was so willing to defend her honor and beat up his cousin to do so. She had to admit it was thoroughly entertaining to watch him scold the tiny Emil for making a move on his 'special femme'.

"D'accord, d'accord, don't touch y' special femme. Got it. Now are we gonna tell de rest of de guild dat y' here or are we-"

"Non!" Gambit exclaimed.

Both Rogue and Emil were taken aback. Rogue said nothing. She figured the reasoning behind such an outburst. Emil seemed to be shocked but just shook it off. Maybe Gambit was prone to such outbursts.

He tried to quickly recover. "I wanna surprise everyone individually."

Emil shrugged and turned to Rogue. "Well y' a lil late fo' dinner but I'm sure if y' go ta the kitchen y' can rustle up somethin' unless y' wanna find Tante."

Gambit nodded. "Yeah, umm is Henri here?"

Emil gazed at his cousin for a second, as if he was trying to read his expressions. It was something people in the guild were taught to do at a very young age. Lucky for Gambit he had a great poker face and Emil was one of the worst when it came to reading body language. So he just seemed to be gazing longingly into his cousin's eyes.

"Emil!" Gambit snapped his fingers in front of Emil's face. Rogue chuckled as she held onto Gambit's arm.

"Hmmm. Uhh…Yeah he's here somewhere. I can go get 'im for y' if y' want," Emil said as he scratched his patch of bright red hair unconsciously.

"Oui dat would be very helpful _Lapin_, now git goin'. Tell 'im we'll be in de kitchen."

With that Emil rushed off down one end of the hallway as Rogue and Gambit stood at the other end.

"So Ah'm guessin' Ah'm not exactly supposed ta be here," Rogue stated as they began to walk down another hallway towards what she expected was the kitchen.

Gambit seemed to be lost in thought. Maybe it was stupid to bring her here. After all, it was the lion's den. But then again it wasn't like she didn't know about the guild in the first place. He was running through all the things that could go wrong. Had he made the wrong decision in bringing her here? Should he have taken her at all?

"Gambit?" she asked leaning her head against his shoulder. She didn't want to push him for answers but there were certain dangers to her being here and they both knew it.

He looked down at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. His eyes said that he wanted her here more than anything in the world. Or at least that's what she wanted to believe. But there was something there, in the way he pursed his lips maybe, that told her he was rethinking things and that scared her.

"Y' belong here jus' as much as I do," he said simply bringing his lips to her forehead. "Come on let's get some food inta y'. Y' haven't eaten a good meal since, well since ever."

Rogue eyed him in curiosity. "Ah don't know what ya talkin' 'bout Swamp Rat but Ah had a four star dinner not but a week ago."

"Oui and dat be garbage compared ta mon Tante's cookin'," he smiled graciously down at her as the turned into the kitchen.


	16. We Said No Regrets

_**Present Day- A Hotel Room**_

Remy was sitting in his suite watching as day turned into night. She had said she was coming back. He believed her. Wanted, with a desperation that was both unnatural and uncharacteristic of him, to believe her. But for her he was always desperate, was always capable of being absolutely, downright needy.

He was downing bourbon after bourbon waiting. He could feel that itch rise up in him. The one that made him do reckless things, like call her, like meet her, like take her. He was thinking of things that were dangerous for both of them. But he didn't care he needed her badly, just her voice, her scent, the brush of her skin against his. That's all it would take to put his mind at ease.

He eyed his cell phone. The device seemed to mock him. To stare back at him in a triumphant way saying that he couldn't take a hold of it and use it to his whim. He took a deep swig of bourbon, felt the burn, relished it. He slowly reached for the phone and pulled it to his hands.

The plastic felt hot and maddening in his palm. He eyed it for a moment before the small device began to ring and ring and ring. He stared at the number and the picture that popped into view on the screen. It kept ringing incessantly.

He heard as the phone beeped that the call had gone to voicemail. Suddenly with all the force he could muster up, Remy threw the phone against the wall and watched it smash into a million pieces. He stood up grabbed the entire bottle of bourbon and walked to his bedroom.

He picked up his trench, the keys to his bike, and his hotel key card. He knew he was going to regret tonight. He tried to make the thoughts in his head dissipate. The scent of magnolias that still seemed to drench the room, the sheets, every surface he touched or neared. The memories of her laughter playing in his ears as he walked through the suite. It made his blood boil.

He slammed the door shut on his way out, trying to convince himself that he wasn't coherent anymore. That he was inebriated passed the point of knowing right from wrong. He didn't want the guilt to eat away at him. But there was no hiding the fact that he knew what he was about to do, knew the pain that would follow, not just his but hers as well.

But he was a bastard and she knew it. She had always known it. She loved him anyway. But she wouldn't after tonight. Not after what he was about to do. She would hate him for the rest of his life. But he was desperate. He was dangerous. She couldn't stop him anymore.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue was stuffed beyond recognition. Gambit had never seen a woman eat that fast or that much in his presence before and although he probably wouldn't ever admit to Rogue it kind of turned him on. Like she didn't care about all the civilities that other girls worried about. She had manners but she had an appetite, it was unbelievably adorable.

Rogue would have been embarrassed about the way she had consumed the food that Gambit had presented her with in the Lebeau kitchen if it wasn't so extremely delicious. It was almost a crime for anything else to be considered food, because obviously what she had been eating before this meal was absolute garbage.

Rogue was leaning back on the stool that Gambit had pulled up to the island in the kitchen, her hands on either side of her stomach as she sighed. She hadn't felt so stuffed in her life. She looked over at Gambit and the playful spark in his eyes and smiled. He was chewing another piece of chicken, mopping up the remnants of the sauce it was cooked in with a freshly baked biscuit.

He swallowed and turned fully, leaning his elbow on the island to look at Rogue "So what's de verdict?" he asked presumptuously.

She sighed and gave him a pointed glance. "As much as Ah would like to say Ah've had better, Ah don't think Ah ever had anythin' as good as that."

He smiled and turned back to his plate picking his teeth. "Mhhmmm, y' say dat now but jus' wait what else I have ta show y'."

Rogue smacked him in the arm again. If he kept up these innuendos he was going to black and blue all over. Rogue would have felt bad for hitting him if he didn't deserve it so much. He was making her get all red and hot and it was infuriating. All this talk and no action was making Rogue frustrated.

Gambit turned to look at her. "Y' know y' have a dirty mind. I meant de rest of de house," he said unconvincingly.

Rogue rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. "Uh huh, yeah sure."

"Yeah Remy we all know that when it comes ta dirty minds y' have de filthiest one in de world," a woman said as she sashayed into the room.

Rogue's mouth dropped; she was absolutely gorgeous. She was petite, shorter than Rogue but just as curvy. She had long blonde hair that hung in ringlets down to her waist, they were half pulled back in a braid. She had one hand resting lightly on her hip and her ocean blue eyes were staring directly at Gambit as if she was waiting for him to do something.

"Now are y' jus' gonna stand dere or are y' gonna actually come over here and give me a damn hug," the woman said as she crossed her arms.

Rogue was immediately jealous. Not just because of the woman's looks but also because the second she opened her mouth Gambit was up and out of his seat and pulling her into a warm embrace, he was even smiling, and it wasn't a fake smile it was his genuine broad grin with the eye glint and everything.

Who the hell was this woman? Rogue would have had a shit face it she didn't feel so suddenly out of place. She was sitting on the stool the island between her and Gambit and what seemed to be his other 'special femme'.

The woman seemed to finally take notice of Rogue and peeked past Gambit's shoulder to take a look. She appraised Rogue for a moment before her hand went swiftly back and she knocked Gambit upside his head, or at least she tried but it was very hard for someone so little to hit someone so tall. Rogue didn't laugh she just watched. She didn't understand what was going on.

The woman gave Gambit an irritated glare. "Are y' gonna jus' sit dere or are y' gonna introduce us y' rude lil garçon?"

Gambit chuckled. A real chuckle. One of the chuckles that used to set Rogue at ease and make her feel warm and fuzzy. It had lost all that though, now that she saw someone else could make him laugh that way, it made her feel infinitely small.

Gambit scratched the back of his head and turned around. "Oh umm right. Well Rogue dis is Mercy, Mercy dis is Rogue."

He didn't meet Rogue's eyes but the woman did. She gave her a smile, a genuine smile. Not one of those 'I really can't stand your guts but he likes you so I'll smile' smiles but the real deal thing where her eyes lit up and her lips thinned and everything. She moved towards Rogue and held out her hand.

"Hi chere, it's nice ta meet y'," she kept her hand held out and out of courtesy Rogue shook it trying to hide her anxiety.

"And where be mon frère, huh y' harlot. Did y' murder 'im and make off wit all de Lebeau fortune," Gambit asked as he leaned forward against the island staring at Rogue and Mercy.

Rogue gave him a half confused glance before turning her attention to Mercy who glared angrily at him, her blonde ringlets swaying this way and that as she shook her head.

"Now, now, frérot, don't be givin' her any ideas now," Rogue heard a voice call out jovially. She watched as a tall, thin man bearing a similar resemblance to Gambit walked up and threw his arms around Mercy's waist as she swatted at him.

He was good looking, though you could tell this man held nothing on Gambit, even when he was wearing a well-fitted light brown suit with a half-buttoned shirt underneath. Rogue could see the beginnings of chest hair through the open shirt and she blushed slightly.

He had short brown hair that curled at the ends; his face was more squared than Gambit's and his eyes were a deep brown that reminded Rogue of warm coffee. But if there was one thing that reminded her of Gambit it was that smile he wore, that mischievous glint as he showed off his teeth and laughed along with Mercy.

"Y' keep sayin' things like that and I may change my mind 'bout marryin' y'," Mercy said in that playful way.

She was half turned to the man behind her, and she had her hand on the back of his head. Her eyes were shining bright and she had a look in them that Rogue couldn't place. It was just such a happy picture, it almost seemed unreal. It almost felt wrong to watch; the small gesture seemed so intimate for something so innocent.

The man pecked Mercy on the lips quickly before slowly unwrapping his arms from around her waist and standing up fully turning his attention to Gambit. His eyes quickly narrowed and Gambit's lost their playful glint as well. Rogue could feel the tension as it swelled around them and she was suddenly nervous that something horrible was about to happen.

"And y', jus' what de hell do y' think y' doin' here," the man proclaimed as he seemed to get into an attack stance.

Gambit sneered and then suddenly the two were tangled together in a ball of arms and elbows and Rogue cried out suddenly throwing her hands to her mouth as she watched the man wrestle with Gambit, his arms around his neck in a choke hold as Gambit struggled to pull the man's arm off.

Mercy put her arm around Rogue's shoulder and it made her jump. The kind woman just offered her a serene smile before rolling her eyes at the men.

"Don't worry chere, they do _dis shit_ all de time," she stated scoffing at the men as they grappled for control.

"Y' give up yet frérot?" the man strained as he seemed to have pinned Gambit's arm behind his back.

"Non," Gambit huffed and then suddenly he threw all his weight behind him, causing the man to lose his grip and giving Gambit ample time to slip his grip and push the man to the floor. The two toppled to the ground Gambit pinning the man to the floor.

"Y'll never be as good as moi and y' know it frère, so jus' admit it," Gambit smirked down at the man as he wriggled under his grasp.

"Never, y' lil scamp," the man moved still before letting out a sigh. "D'accord, we get it y' strong, now let me up, y' wrinklin' mon good suit."

The two laughed and Gambit amicably held his hand out to the man helping him up before the two pulled each other in for an embrace. They held on for a long time and soon all the playfulness was gone, because there were tears in the man's eyes as he held Gambit closer to him and whispered something into his ear that Rogue couldn't understand. Finally the two parted and Gambit wiped what looked to be tears from his eyes before chuckling to himself.

"So frérot, y' gonna stand dere or are y' gonna tell me who dis belle fille is whose standin' in mon kitchen?" the man asked as he sat down on one of the stools pulling Mercy onto his lap.

"Ya jus' off to a horrible start on introductions tonight, aren't ya Swamp Rat," Rogue commented as she glanced up at Gambit who gave her genuine smile. It made her comment worth it, just for him to reaffirm that she meant something with that simple grin.

"Oooh Swamp Rat, I like dat one. I might have ta start usin' dat," the man teased as Gambit took Rogue's hand in his.

"And Ah'm just gonna throw this out there but Ah'm assuming that Mercy is ya fiancé," Rogue teased as both Henri and Mercy chuckled having one of those private/public moments again.

"Oui dat be a good assumption ta make," Henri commented. "But y', y' would be-"

Gambit scoffed and rolled his eyes before staring his brother down.

"Roguey, dis is mon frère…umm my brother Henri. Henri dis is Rogue," Gambit said shyly. She had never seen him like that before. Was he ashamed of her?

"Or as de rest of de world may know her, Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr," Henri added quirking his eyebrows at his brother.

Rogue blanched and Gambit's hand went straight up to his neck as he began to pull at the flesh there. He chuckled nervously and Henri clicked his tongue. Rogue moved closer to Gambit, squeezing his hand as she whispered to him. "How does he know my name?"

"Y' shoulda known one of de first people dat de good ol' senator would call would be père," Henri shook his head giving his brother a sarcastic grin.

"Does he know?" Gambit asked quietly.

Suddenly all the ease and playfulness was gone and replaced with that all too real tension that permeated Rogue's sinews and made her whole body become rigid and hard. For the first time fear, real fear, made her feel frozen. If it was known she was here it would be just a matter of time, mere minutes before she was stolen back to that horrible place.

She found herself drawn closer to Gambit and he looked down at her apologetically. He was scared too. He knew the repercussions of coveting her heart but maybe he hadn't thought it through enough what they were of taking her physically. No he had taken her knowing that if he got caught it was worth it; if only for her to know that she was worth better than what she had been living through, that she was so much more than what those people thought she was.

Henri looked over his brother and the way he was holding this young girl close. He couldn't deny the fact that he seemed protective of her. It warmed his heart to see his brother caring for another person in such a way.

He had been there at the beginning of Gambit's distrust of women. It started early, with his first love, though he would never admit. Bella Donna, his first girlfriend, his best friend for years before they turned lovers had hardened him. She had cheated on him and he said that he would never forgive her. From then on Gambit had only seen women as a means to an end.

But the man he saw standing before him now had a totally different air about him. He cared for this Rogue and it came off him in waves. In the small gestures of affection; the hands held tightly, the way his body seemed to conform around hers for both comfort and defense.

Henri sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "We'll talk 'bout dat later. Y' two 'ave had a long drive I'm sure. Why don't y' wash up, get some rest. Dis situation can be handled in de mornin'," Henri assured. His voice was calm but authoritative and held that older brother tone that Rogue knew well.

Gambit seemed to want to protest but just nodded before adding. "We'll be okay, right frère?"

Henri pursed his lips and Mercy stroked his shoulder in reassurance. "Oui, but don't worry 'bout dat right now frérot. Jus' get a good night's sleep, d'accord. We'll figure everythin' else out in de mornin'. Y' ol' room is made up."  
>Henri stood up with Mercy entow and threw his arms around his brother once more. It was a shorter embrace but none of the emotions were lost.<p>

"It's good ta have y' home," Henri said.

"It's bon ta be home," Gambit replied as his brother kissed him on the forehead.

He moved to Rogue as Mercy placed a kiss goodnight on Gambit's cheek. "And don' you fret either fille. As far as I'm concerned while y' here y' famille, got it," He said as he pulled Rogue into a tight hug.

She felt awkward at first and she saw over Henri's shoulder that both Gambit and Mercy were chuckling at her. She couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the sheer warmth that Henri's sentiments seemed to radiate. He wasn't bullshitting her. He meant it. And she could feel it.

"And we take care of our own at de guild, so y' have nothin' ta worry 'bout," he finished as he pulled back and let his hands hang at her waist.

Rogue nodded and pulled him back closer. She didn't know why but she felt like she owed this man a lot. Much more than she owed Gambit at the moment. Sure she was infatuated with Gambit and he had saved her from her past, but this man was harboring her and his brother at his own expense. She felt overcome with the kindness that he exuded.

"Thank ya," Rogue whispered to him. It felt so little. Like she should be saying something so much grander for what he was willing to go through for someone who he didn't even know.

Henri merely smiled and pecked her on the cheek before stepping to the side allowing Mercy to sidle up and embrace Rogue as well. She pecked the younger girl on the cheek her blue eyes sparkling as she tipped upwards to place her lips on Rogue's skin.

"G'night chere," and with that the couple exited hand in hand.

Rogue turned and stared at Gambit. They were both thinking the same thing. They were in deep shit. Super deep shit. If there had been a point of no return it had been a long while back, and they hadn't even seen, hadn't even considered it and now it was creeping up into their conscious' that this may have been the biggest mistake either of them could have made.


	17. Don't Explain

_**Present Day- The Xavier Institute**_

The door to Jean's office was open. Most likely because Anna was supposed to have had a session with her around the same time that she was canoodling with Gambit in a diner forty five minutes from here. She watched as Jean looked up from the work at her desk and an expression of obvious concern cross her face.

"Anna, Kitty, please come in," she stated as she beckoned them into the room.

Kitty still had her arms around Anna's shoulders and she was trying to keep the tears at bay as she continued to cry. She honestly didn't know why she was sobbing. It just didn't make any sense. If anything this had been one of the best days she had had in years. And here she was bawling like a little baby about nothing.

"Okay Anna, breathe, please just take deep breaths and when you're ready you can begin," Jean soothed as she took a seat in one of the other leather upholstered chairs in front of her desk, scooting closer to Anna and putting a pacifying hand on her knee.

Anna looked up beneath tear streaked cheeks and willed herself to form words but couldn't. It was hopeless there was nothing she could say. Kitty was standing off to the side of the office pacing with her arms folded. She wasn't exactly attuned to deal with this sort of thing. If anything it was Anna who was constantly talking her down.

"Miss Pryde, I think its best you leave, I can handle this from here," Dr. Grey stated in an authoritative tone and Kitty felt relief wash over her.

It wasn't that she didn't want to help her best friend. If anything she would do anything for Anna as long as the girl asked. She had been there for her for everything. She was her first friend at the Institute, she had dealt with her on again, off again relationship with Lance, had put up with her hissy fits and homesickness, had cracked cynical jokes when she was feeling down. Hell she had even made her soup and rubbed that weird smelly stuff on her chest when she got sick like her mom used to do; unwillingly of course but she had done it nonetheless.

But this was just something that Katherine Pryde was not able to help her best friend with and the nod that Anna gave her in between sobs told her that she would be alright in Dr. Grey's hands.

Once Kitty closed the door behind her Anna began to calm down slightly. She took a deep breath feeling as it made its way through her shaky and still panicking lungs. She let it out slowly hiccupping here and there but for the most part letting out a steady stream of air.

"Okay now, are you ready to talk?" Jean asked. Anna nodded as best she could. "Please tell me what happened, Anna."

God what _had_ happened? She had gone back to the beginning with Jean. She knew it all. Everything. Just not this. Not him. She didn't want to talk about him to her. It was painful. She felt like a thousand knives were lodged in her chest and with every breath she took they were thrust deep into her flesh.

"Ah got a phone call," Anna started.

Jean pulled back into her seat and sat up straight listening to Anna's ragged breaths.

"And this phone call brought bad news?"

Anna laughed cynically, tears falling down slightly as she wiped them from the corners of her eyes.

"If only."

"So what was this phone call about?"

Anna struggled to formulate the words, as if it would all magically poof into the land of make believe if she actually said that something so amazing had happened. Like the first rule of this happening was that you couldn't talk about, or it wouldn't exist. Jean waited patiently for Anna to speak.

Anna gulped and let out a great big sigh, before choking through her sobs, "He called me."

If Jean was taken aback by what was said she didn't show it. Her face remained stoic and unperturbed.

"I presume we are speaking of Remy?" Jean asked in a caring tone, her green eyes softening somewhat. Anna nodded. "And what did he have to say?"

Anna clenched her jaw, "Well at first he said that he just wanted ta hear my voice. But after we got ta talkin he wanted ta meet me."

Jean nodded thoughtfully. "And did you?"

"Yes," Anna admitted quietly.

"And what happened at this meeting?" Jean continued.

"We talked…we…" she let out a deep gust of breath clenching her hands as she held back the tears. "We…we talked about everythin'…about him and me and what happened…his fiancé cheated on him and Ah guess he needed some reassurance or somethin'…Ah don't know…and then somehow we ended up at his hotel room and…"

Suddenly Jean's carefully crafted expression began to break at this. Anna's eyes grew wide. Had she said something wrong? She felt instantly horrible for such an admission. She hated talking about him at all with Jean, it felt like a betrayal of the worst kind, of his trust.

"No, it's not like that nothin' happned," Rogue defended. "We just…we were us."

"What do you mean?" Jean asked quizzically. She looked like she was making calculations in her head of some sort.

Anna thought about her next words. How was she supposed to describe her relationship with Remy Lebeau? It wasn't exactly something that anyone other than them could possibly understand.

"We didn't do anythin' bad, we just…" the memory of the pillow fight and the sheer excitement and joy that she had felt resurged through her veins along with the melancholy at the knowledge that it was all gone; lost to the past. And then the tickling and the almost kiss. Maybe it was lie to say that nothing had happened.

"It's not like we had sex," Anna muttered.

Jean tilted her head to the side. "May I ask what it is that you did do then?"

"We acted like kids again, like how we used ta be. I hit him over the head with a pillow because he said somethin' suggestive and then we just kinda went at it like two five year olds."

"And then what happened?"

"Nothin' I left," Anna finished. She didn't want to mention Bella Donna's impromptu phone call and the damper it put on their plans.

Jean nodded to herself as she silently appraised the situation.

"How did you feel, when you were with him?"

Anna made half laugh, half cry sound that she found fit the situation perfectly. "Horrible, wonderful, wrong and right."

"Mhmmm," Jean murmured. "Well Anna, I think that Remy brings up emotions within you that even you can't understand and I just don't know how seeing him is good for your recovery."

Anna knew this was where this conversation was going to lead, and no matter how much she wished Jean was wrong she knew she was right. She could feel how much her world had been turned upside down since she ran into him in that damned store. She just couldn't think or function when she thought about him. He was her life.

But part of her didn't want to deny herself the hope that maybe something more could come of this situation. That somehow, someway they had found themselves back in each other's arms and that that was some cosmic sign that they should have never parted. It was a tiny part within her, a part she was unwilling to notice. But it was there. Deep down.

"Ah understand Dr. Grey," Anna acquiesced.

"Now, we have another session next Thursday and I expect you to be there on time, alright," Jean finished standing up from the chair and returning to her desk, shuffling papers around.

Anna wiped the remnants of her tears with her hands and then stood up and nodded goodbye to Jean. She didn't feel like acknowledging her snide comment. Sure she was her therapist but that didn't give her the right to make her feel like a child.

Rogue slammed the door to her office closed. It wasn't an accident, but she was sure that the good doctor would think it was. Or attribute it to her highly emotional state. She stormed to her room. She just wanted to drown herself in the darkness of the only sanctuary she had left besides his arms and wallow in her own self pity.

She was already starting to cry as she rounded the hallway and came upon her door. She fished her key out and unlocked her door not even bothering to look inside. She threw her purse on the floor and waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. She wiped at them again, certain that the tears were messing with her vision.

The flash of red blazed brighter. There was a swirl of cigarette smoke. And a distinct smell of spices.

"Chere," the smooth voiced slurred.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Gambit held Rogue's hand tightly in his. He was scared. Everything felt like a house of cards, one wrong move, one slight breath and the whole thing could come tumbling down. He wanted her with him. He didn't want her to go back to a place where she wasn't who she needed to be.

But it wasn't like she belonged here either. Not in this place. She deserved so much better and he knew it. But he was selfish. He was unsure when it was that he had decided that she was his to steal, but somewhere along the lines everything got blurred. His feelings, his needs, her feelings, her needs. They all got blended into one.

It was no longer just about what he wanted. It was about what he wanted for her. He led her slowly down the hallway and up a grand staircase. Rogue was trying not to stare too much. She knew this wasn't exactly somewhere normal people went on a day to day basis; or on special occasions for that matter. It was the equivalent of being let into the Batcave or the Fortress of Solitude. It was a big fucking deal and she knew it.

But there was just so much about this place that felt right in her bones. It made her feel safe and she knew that that was a sickening notion. She wasn't safe anywhere. There was nowhere she could go where she couldn't be found.

They went up three flights of steps and rounded a couple corners before they came upon a large set of double doors. Rogue eyed it for a long time. She was still holding Gambit's hand and he was looking down at her as if waiting for her to make the move to open the door. They both felt somehow out of place here.

She looked up into his eyes her emerald ones glistening and swirling in that amusing way that made Gambit just want to lean down and plant soft kisses on her lips. He pulled his other hand up and moved the hair out of her face. She looked so innocent, so young sometimes. And as much as he would like to say he knew better he knew it wasn't true. No matter how many fronts she tried to put up, no matter how tough and hurt she tried to act or she really genuinely felt, she was still young and infinitely innocent.

She closed her eyes as she felt his calming breath wash over her face. She took a deep breath of it pulling his air into hers. When she opened her eyes he was smiling at her, his forehead pressed against hers, his other hand on the door knob. He pushed open the door and Rogue's jaw dropped for the fiftieth time that day.

This wasn't a room. It was a freaking apartment. It was huge. It was not _a_ room. It was _multiple_ rooms; it was probably a whole goddamn _wing_. Why would they refer to this thing as a _room_? Rogue made a gurgling sound and Gambit just chuckled beside her before moving inside the perimeters of what appeared to be a lounge area waiting for her to decide to walk in.

"Y' jus' gonna stand dere all day, chere?" he asked her as he tilted his head sideways, grinning that devilish grin of his.

Rogue took a deep calming breath. Too much. He and everything that involved him was just too much. She couldn't handle it sometimes. But did she want to learn. She wanted so badly to learn to be a part of his world.

She moved into the lounge area set with what she assumed was antique furniture, all deep maroons and golds. It was decadent. It was fitting and overwhelming. She gazed around the first room, looking for the doors to the other rooms she knew had to be adjoining. She found another set of double doors to her right. She could only assume where it led to.

Gambit was lounged across a chaise his arms resting on the top, his legs crossed and a bemused expression gracing his face. Rogue was walking around the room in a daze, touching everything with her fingertips. A vase here, a lamp there, a wingback chair, a mahogany end table. They whole place was decorated impeccably, she was in awe.

When she finally turned and noticed Gambit, he was just eyeing her. His eyes held that predator's mysticism. Dark and hauntingly beautiful. His lopsided grin said that he was delighted, but his eyes said that he was brooding.

"So where's the bedroom?" Rogue asked.

She knew what she was doing. She knew exactly how his mind worked sometimes. This would help the situation slightly. She didn't want him to sulk, or to dwell on things they had no control over at the moment. There's no time like the present and all that jazz she thought.

Gambit quirked an eyebrow and his red eyes glinted darkly and his grin broadened. He sat up slowly putting his hands on his knees. "Now, now chere, gettin' a lil head of ourselves aren't we," he said playfully as he stood up.

Rogue rolled her eyes as she smiled. He was so predictable and so agonizingly adorable when he did such stupid things. She planted her hands on her hips.

"It's called gettin' the tour of what was supposed ta be your bedroom but turned out ta be a whole damn apartment."

"Well if it's a private tour y' want, den it's a private tour y'll get," Gambit crooned suggestively as he passed Rogue going to the double doors to her right and opening them in a grandiose manner.

She tilted her head to the side and shook it at him and he just turned back to face her with his arms spread out in a great gesture as he fell back on to his bed and smiled up at her from his spot and patted the space beside him.

Rogue stood outside the doors of his bedroom, giggling at him as he waggled his eyebrows in that cheesy way before entering the room and disregarding his mannerisms altogether and setting about exploring the various trappings he had set up in his most private place. Once again she felt overwhelmed; she was kind of getting sick of being so shocked by things all the time.

She was standing in his room, in his room. It seemed like such a foreign concept. Like such a thing shouldn't be taking place. But if she was being honest with herself none of the things that had happened over the past few days should be taking place and none of them made any sense.

Well maybe that wasn't true. They did make sense. They had to make sense because why else would she be here fiddling with something from his desk in her small hands, waiting for him to say something. It meant that they…maybe not that but, there was something between them. An attraction, a magnetism that brought them close together no matter how far apart they seemed to get.

She placed the small object that had been in her hands back on the desk. To think this is where Gambit had spent his childhood. This is where he grew up. In this room. She smiled thoughtfully to herself as she turned to look at his as she leaned against his old worn wooden desk. Like everything else in the room it invariably reminded her of him.

"So whatcha think?" he asked a smirk playing at his lips as he laid against the headboard of his huge four poster bed, lazily placing his hands behind his head.

"Ah think that…Ah'm impressed," Rogue said simply as she moved to the window and let her fingers play with the curtains as she stared out at the grounds.

"Well dat's sayin' a lot non. I mean y' are a senator's daughter after all," he teased. "I think I should be very proud of mon self."

Rogue turned to look back at him, he was rubbing his knuckles playfully against his shoulder with that glint in his mischievous eyes that told her she was going to have to make him pay for such an adorably infuriating little tick. She settled for just rolling her eyes and taking a seat in the middle of his bed, folding her legs underneath her and resting her chin on her hands, gazing at him intently.

"So…" Rogue said fake yawning as she stared at him.

Gambit smirked and let out a breathy whisper to himself that Rogue didn't catch. She acted like she didn't notice the sudden shift in his muscles. How they were clenched in anticipation. It made her heart skip a beat. She closed her eyes and just listened for a moment.

She felt the give of the bed as it oh so slowly moved beneath Gambit. He was moving. Where she didn't know. But she could hope.

"So…" she felt his breath at her ear and she didn't open her eyes. No she couldn't open her eyes. Not now. It would ruin the surprise. Would ruin the wonderment of it all if she opened her eyes now.

She felt the mattress move on either side of her legs. His hands were encasing her and she knew in that moment that he was inches from her and it was exhilarating. This rush was the most perfect part. The anticipation. He was right this might be better than the actual act. She let out a breathy little chuckle, no, this was good; it would never, could never be better than his simple ministrations.

She heard him as he hummed in her ear softly. She didn't know the tune but it was soothing, and then suddenly she didn't feel the warmth of his body any longer and when she opened her eyes he was laying back against the headboard with his hands behind his head, a cat-that-got-the-canary grin playing at his lips he was still humming. She caught what the tune was now, nah nuh nah nuh naaaah nuh. She growled and he laughed.

"You are such a _tease_!" she practically yelled. He just kept smirking.

"Non, moi a tease? Now dat would be a most punishable offense," he mocked.

Rogue narrowed her eyes at him and folded her arms. "So what then?"

Gambit sat up, stroking his chin in faux thoughtfulness. "We need ta set de mood non?"

"We didn't _need_ ta set the _mood_ last time," Rogue grunted angrily.

His eyes still held that sparkle of amusement and it infuriated her.

"Well dat was last time, we were in a _motel_. Not much mood ta set in dat kinda environment, non, Roguey," he smirked wolfishly. Rogue huffed at him. "Non, now we need music an' lighting."

"Fine," Rogue gritted as she stood up from his bed and made her way to the massive stereo system he had sitting at the other end of the room.

The speakers were wired everywhere and where the actual system was set there was a full library of not just CD's but actual albums, records. She felt her frustration start to falter as her fingertips flitted past all the names, organized in anal retentive fashion. Genre, artist, records then CD's. There must have been hundreds of different disks sitting on these shelves; it was better than a record store.

She turned to see as he fiddled with the lamp, placing a scarf or some piece of fabric over it to make the lighting softer, more ambient. She knew he was doing it to be an ass by the ridiculous flourishes he was making while adjusting it. But it did make her laugh.

"You'd think ya just have an I-pod like a normal person," she commented snidely.

She heard him gasp in shock behind her. "Bite y' tongue chere. I-pods are for dose who have no respect for real music. If I wanna listen ta somethin' it will be in its purest form, not on some stupid little device."

She turned around to see him shaking his head at her, in total sincerity. She giggled at his absurdness. "Then what do you call this?" she asked gesturing to the monstrosity behind her.

He muttered something about not being able to see dead people in concert and proceeded to go back to fake fixing his lamp's light emission.

Her eyes flitted from one album to the next. The breadth of music on his shelves was immense. There were things she had grown up with, Blink- 182 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Marley and The Beatles. His taste ranged though from modern to Oldies, from R&B to Metal, from Bubblegum Pop to Classical. She pulled a few records from the shelf here and there.

She giggled as she came across one. "Ya like the Bee Gees?"

He turned and gazed at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Hey they are a very good group," he said defensively. He began to hum 'Night Fever' to himself as he made his way to what was either his closet or his ensuite bathroom or both, she didn't know.

She came across a few more, there was a band that seemed fairly new, the cover art was interesting enough. "Whose this?" she called out to him as he poked his head out from the now open door.

He looked down at the album in her hand and nodded. "Circa Survive, dey're pretty good. Alternative rock, based outta Pennsylvania. But not right I t'ink for what we're goin' for. We'll listen ta dem another time." He quirked his eyebrows again as he disappeared once more.

Rogue didn't want to go too cliché; it wasn't like he didn't have loads of Marvin Gaye or Smokey Robinson or Al Green on his shelf. She could pick one of those old school Motown groups that everyone associated with doing the deed but she really didn't want to. She could just imagine how many times that Gambit had brought a girl home put one of those records on and- she really didn't want to think about it.

She kept looking until she made it to a set of three shelves with just Jazz music, the most extensive genre he seemed to have. Rogue knew a little about Jazz, like Billy Holiday and Coltrane, but from the looks of it Gambit was a connoisseur.

He finally emerged from the doorway wearing a pair of comfy looking pajama pants, the air of mint toothpaste radiating around him. So obviously he had just been freshening up and left her to sit and ogle his music collection and be all smelly and gross. Rogue was both embarrassed and upset.

"Can't find anythin'?" he asked as he leaned behind her, his hands at her waist looking at the shelf she had been at.

"No…Ah mean there's a lot ta choose from…but," Rogue was desperately looking for something anything.

She didn't want him to think she was dumb for not knowing all these jazz artists like he did so she reached out for an album. The name sounded vaguely familiar. Like she had heard somewhere in a dream maybe.

Gambit gazed down at her selection and smiled as he held the record. "Dis is one of mon favorites."

He pulled it from the case and moved passed Rogue to an older looking record player and set to play it. Rogue stood behind him as she listened to the soft melody start to play through the various speakers, surrounding her in its warm embrace. She closed her eyes. She felt his arms enfold her as he leaned his chin on top of her head. They were swaying to the beat and she hadn't even noticed.

The song began to fade and Gambit placed a simple kiss on her hair. "Y' should get cleaned up. Y' bag is in de closet on the right. Feel free ta use anythin' y' want. There's clean towels on de rack."

He moved away from her and she felt her body already missing his heat. She caught onto his comment and playfully added as he stepped away, "What am Ah smelly or somethin' Swamp Rat?"

He chuckled softly as he shuffled through his nightstand looking for something. "What can I say chere, I've smelt skunks dat smelled betta dan y' do right now," he teased.

She smiled at him. "Ya keep charmin' like that and ya might just be sleepin' on one of those couches out front," she said jerking her thumb towards the living area. He chuckled deeply as he gazed at her with his bright eyes and she slowly entered the bathroom.

Rogue didn't want to be taken over by the bathroom but she couldn't deny that it was absolutely amazing. There was a claw bathtub people, a claw bathtub. She looked around at the simple sink sitting by itself. There was a vanity with shaving utensil and hair gel. She smiled. It looked lived in.

There was a shower in the corner and a private toilet to her left. To her right was another door. She was scared to enter it even though it was cracked open. She knew that's where her things were. So she scooted in not wanting to open the door fully for some reason.

The closet was not huge, her closet at home was bigger, but it was large. Once again everything was impeccably organized, clothes hung first from casual to formal, then color coordinated. She smirked to herself. He really was a neat freak.

Rogue saw her duffle bag sitting underneath a rack, nearest to the full length mirror. But when she went to look through it for her things it was empty. She furrowed her brows and looked around. There was a half open drawer and above it a half full rack of clothing. Clothing that was hers. Her jeans and shirts hung on wooden hangers and her underwear and socks were filling an open drawer.

She wanted to be freaked out that Gambit had gone through her things, but she found it sweet. He had created a space for her, in his own space. He had thought about how uncomfortable for her it would be to be living here and made it just a little more hers. She felt a tear come to her eye. It was unbelievably sweet.

She took out a pair of pajamas from the second drawer and left the closet to get cleaned up. She took a quick shower, washed her face, brushed her teeth and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach. He really cared about her, in a way that no one else ever had. It made her giddy, and excited, and somewhat insecure. Like this could all fall away so easily. She shook her frightened thoughts away as she looked herself once over in the mirror and smiled before rushing to the bedroom.

The record was still playing softly in the background, and the light was dimmed, tinted a soft orange by the shade. Gambit was lying on the bed, fast asleep. Rogue was disappointed only for a moment.

She crawled in bed beside him, facing him, curling into him, her head near his chest as she felt his breaths. His breathing hitched for a second and he pulled away to look down at Rogue. She smiled up at him as he groggily tried to pull her close for a kiss.

She pecked him quickly and scooted up to look into his sleepy face. He seemed so calm, so peaceful. There was no serious brooding or suggestiveness or goofiness, it was just him. Plain and simple. Okay maybe not plain and simple, but it was just Gambit, no quirks just him.

She pulled his fingers into hers as she stared into his eyes. His breath washed over her and she felt all the worries fade away with it. She burrowed down and closed her eyes.

She felt him kiss her forehead. "G'night mon chere, mon Roguey."

"G'night Remy," Rogue whispered.

It was the first time she had said his name, his real name. He liked how it felt.


	18. Waiting for Daybreak

_**Present Day- The Xavier Institute**_

Rogue was floored. Was he really sitting in her chair, with his feet leaning against her desk, smoking a cigarette? She blinked a few more times and just waited for the specter to disappear; but it didn't, it wouldn't.

"Remy?!" Rogue whispered harshly. He moved slightly.

"Y' said y' were gonna come back," he commented quietly, she watched as his hand reached beside him to a bottle as he took a swig.

"Ah told ya Ah hand somethings Ah had to handle here, ya should've known-"

"Should've known y' would run, huh," Remy interrupted angrily as he began to stand up, he was wobbling.

"Remy are ya drunk!?" Rogue whispered again. If anyone found him in here with her she would be gone and on the street. There was no way she wasn't breaking about fifty rules held in place by the Institute for their students.

"Non, I'm not," he swayed on the spot. "I'm not drunk."

He moved towards her and she could smell the reek of alcohol permeating his clothing and coming off in waves from his pores. He stood before her, one hand holding an empty bottle of bourbon and the other trying to hold her hip. She wasn't sure if it was to steady himself or if he was trying to be tender. He tilted and Rogue reached her arms out to hold his shoulders.

"Remy ya need ta leave, if ya get caught-" she started worriedly.

"Why did y' leave chere? Y' didn't need ta leave. I wanted y' to say," he said in a whiny tone as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Ah had ta leave Remy, now come on ya gotta go. Ya can't get caught here," she said trying to pull him to the door.

"Non, not until y' tell me why y' left," he said as he set his feet; a determined expression crossing his features.

Rogue growled. It was no use fighting with him, he was drunk, weighed a good sixty pounds more than her and was not going to go anywhere without her answering his question and even then he was in no condition to leave.

"How the hell did ya even get in here, y' drunker than Uncle Sam on the 4th of July," Rogue muttered as she tried to push him to sit back in the chair.

Remy clicked his tongue and his eyes took on that joyful glint. "Come on chere, y' know I'm-I'm de best thief in all de Thieves Guild!" he shouted.

"Cajun if ya don't shut up Ah'm gonna knock ya out. You're not supposed ta be here!" Rogue murmured angrily.

"Quoi? Why does it matter, huh? Who cares if we get caught? Nobody ta pull us apart anymore, no one ta tells us dat we can't be in love!" he yelled at her. Rogue stopped pushing him for a moment as the sentiment hit her in the chest.

It was true. She was long estranged from her family and his had always accepted her, even when they seemed to bring his family more trouble than they were worth. She had been welcome there in a way her own family had never made her feel. But it wasn't just them that she had to worry about. Her life now and her life then couldn't be married together. Remy was a separate realm of his own. She couldn't bring him into her reality now, it meant too much, he had another life, and he was living it.

Rogue pushed him down on the bed making him sit at the edge.

"Wrong, you are gettin' married, you have a family and Ah have a boyfriend and Ah'm finishing up school. We're no longer in each other's lives' Remy, we shoulda never done this," Rogue said as she leaned down, her hands still at his shoulders.

His eyes were swimming with tears. And part of her couldn't believe what she had just said. He seemed furious and depressed beyond all reason. He looked up at her, his eyes seemed to have lost their fire, that red burning spark and she couldn't bear to look into them.

He pulled his hand to her cheek. "Y' don't mean that," his words were so confusing, so serious and sincere. What was she supposed to tell him?

Rogue pulled away and stood up. She crossed her arms and turned to the other side of the room.

"Yes Ah do, Remy. We should've never done any of it. It jus' caused us both heartache," she muttered with resignation.

"NO! No!" He yelled as he stood up and threw the empty bottle against the wall.

Rogue heard it shatter, she heard his booming voice, she heard his swearing and anger as he flew about the room. But none of it really registered. She stood there with her eyes closed biting back the tears. When she could hear nothing more she opened them to see him on his knees in front of her, holding her close as he sobbed.

"I love y' Rogue, I love _you_. I don't love them, I could never love them. I want y' chere. I always have," he pleaded with her. She couldn't help the tears as they fell unrelentingly against her cheeks. She clenched her fists and bit her lips to keep from sobbing.

"Do ya think Ah don't feel the same way Remy!?" she yelled at him. He clutched her tighter. "But we can't. We were never meant ta be together, can't ya see that. Hasn't life told ya that it only wants us apart!"

He pulled her closer, his head at her stomach, his arms wrapped behind her knees, and she could feel herself falling to the ground, whether from him or her own doing she was unsure. He pulled her against him and held her tightly, as if he was trying to absorb her into his skin.

"And what about Julien, and the Guilds, ya have a duty ta your family Remy," Rogue continued as she pushed him away from her and he stopped trying to clutch at her.

Her words hit him like a shotgun. He wanted to clutch his chest because pain was blooming and there was no keeping it at bay. It wasn't that she didn't want him anymore; it was because she couldn't get passed the time that had come between them. And that hurt more than her saying she no longer loved him.

"Non, not anymore. Belle's infidelity means de weddin' is off. Can't y' see Rogue, we can be together, we can finally be in love, jus' y' an me. No one else. Just us chere," he begged, his hand at her cheek trying to wipe away her tears. She still wouldn't look him in the face.

She faltered. "And then what, Remy, we live happily ever after, like none of it ever happened. It's not that simple," she said softly.

He chuckled sardonically. "We both know we can't live happily ever after, our story isn't a fairytale chere. But we can write de ending, our way. Please Anna Marie."

At her name, her real name Rogue looked into his eyes. The tears streaking his face. And those sweet words, the real ones, the truth. Did it matter if they were happy as long as they were together? The two always coincided. It was when they were apart that things got shitty.

"We ran away together once, Remy and it didn't work out too well the first time," Rogue replied. "What makes ya think this time will be any different?"

"What makes y' think it won't?"

His hands on her face, his breath, even soaked in alcohol, made her just want to pull him closer. They were given such little time before. But those were the best memories of her life, her entire life. And now here she was denying him again and again. She would fold eventually if given enough time. But now, right now, wasn't the right time and she knew it.

Remy let his words hang in the air, he let them sink into her skin. He was never a patient man no matter attempts to be taught otherwise. He wasn't going to wait for things to be out of his control any longer. This was his chance, maybe not his only one, but he wasn't going to risk it. He needed her more than he needed life.

Rogue took a deep breath and stood up, holding her hand out to him. She didn't speak. She just stood there next to him, staring into his eyes and hoping that he didn't see that she had made her decision.

"Come on, y' smell like a bar," she said as she led him to her ensuite bathroom.

He followed obediently. He wasn't going to fight with her any longer. If this was all the time they had left together he wasn't going to be angry at her or try to plead with her for more. He was just going to revel in it as much as he could until she ran away. He would try to steal more, but he knew it was no use. She was something he had already stolen, she was his already, there was no taking that back. She would always be his. Even when she didn't want to be. She was his.

She turned on the light and it affected them both. They looked horrible. Like they had spent a whole day mourning a death. Maybe they had. Rogue turned towards her shower and turned the nozzle letting the water heat up before turning back to Gambit. They stared at each other for a moment unsure of what to do next.

Rogue reached out to him, slipping his trench coat off. He looked down at her with curious eyes. She pressed her fingertips to the hem of shirt. Lifting. He let out a slow hiss as she moved it up and over his head slowly. He closed his eyes and so did she. How long had it been since she had touched him like this? With such sweet care?

She pulled the shirt from around his head and let it fall to the floor. She was biting her lip, gnawing at it. She didn't know what she was doing. This was a game they shouldn't play, not anymore. It wasn't allowed.

He stared at her. He didn't want her to leave, but he wanted to touch her. To feel her like he hadn't been able to for five years. To know her skin and her lips the way he used to so well. She reached out and popped the button of his jeans, and pulled the zipper down with slow deliberation.

Remy just kept looking forward. He felt like a boy again. Standing there in his underwear waiting for her. Rogue took a deep breath. She was debating with herself. One last time. Just one last time. She kept thinking. She ran her hands down his taut stomach, tears springing to her eyes as he pulled her into a hug. She could hear the shower hiss is the background.

His lips were at her ear, her neck. Soft, gentle, nurturing. It wasn't a push, so much as a guiding gesture. His hands were at her back, her face was buried in his chest as he kneaded and rubbed her tense flesh. Her tears were spilling down his chest as she pieced together the fantasy and reality of what she felt beneath her fingers. Was this really happening?

She felt like a ghost, like she wasn't really there as he slipped beneath her shirt and the hem made its way up and over her head. She gazed at him for a second. One last time. To say goodbye. Just this once. She gulped and let out a breath.

His hands went to her jeans as he slipped them off, pulling the denim from her legs. She was whimpering. She could feel it. This was wrong, wasn't it? She was with Bobby. Remy had Bella Donna. They weren't supposed to.

Remy pulled back the shower curtain as he pulled his boxer briefs off and stood naked in front of Rogue. He placed his hand on her cheek as he stepped underneath the spray of the water waiting for her. She didn't know what to do. She was fighting a moral war. He was pleading with her. She loved him. There was nothing wrong about this, right? Not if she loved him more than made sense.

She kept her eyes on him as she stepped out of her underwear and stepped slowly into the shower and under the spray of the water. He pulled her to him, and she could feel him hard against her stomach. She hadn't felt this in so long. The love blossoming in her chest. Threatening to burst forth. She had kept it in check for so long. But now she didn't want to. Not anymore.

She kissed him back as hard as she could; feeling everything. His hands against her skin, his hair soft and wet beneath her fingertips, his body pressed firmly against hers. He went slowly. Never sure if she was going to stop him. He explored her like he had the very first time, tenuously, carefully, letting her set the pace.

His kissed her lips, her neck, her breasts anything and everything. He didn't want to lose the memory of her just as she was. She watched as he got to each of her scars, jagged and raised against her porcelain skin. He kissed every one, trailing his lips softly against the proof of her life before him. Everything before him and after him, written clearly on her body.

She was growing hot beneath his touch and finally she could take it no longer. She pulled him into her hands and pulled his lips to hers. She felt as he finally took that last step. The point of no return. No one else on her mind but him, as he pushed forcefully and perfectly into her. She met his hips and it was like a dream, the most perfect dream, as they continued right where they had left off. They had never forgotten just how to electrify the other, to send shivers down their spines and bring them to the edge.

She could feel herself tensing from his slow and torturous thrusts, she wanted him, all of him and she knew he was holding back, scared that she was scared. There was no fear. Not now, maybe after but now she just needed him.

She looked into his ruby orbs, her hand on his cheek, and saw his fear, she shook her head lightly and she pressed her lips to his, "Please, Remy, don't. Please just…be you," she whimpered.

He nodded lightly as he pushed into her farther, faster, pressing her body against the cold tiles of the shower. She was seeing stars; his breath was hot against her skin as he kept up this pace. His hips snapped back one last time and she combusted into a million pieces along with him, reaching the stars as she felt him follow her and she cried out his name tears rolling down her face.

He slumped against her for a moment as they just stood under the spray of the water. She was staring at his face. Had they really changed? She saw the boy she had fallen in love with all those five years ago, that simple serene smile plastered on his lips. His eyes closed in bliss. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder kissing him there.

"I love ya Remy," Rogue whispered against his skin.

He kissed her on the top of her head like he always used to. "I love y' too Roguey."

They emerged from the shower no longer angry but the air was still charged with emotion. Regret, fear, but mostly love. Rogue pulled her towel tighter around her as she switched on her bedroom light. Remy was toweling off his hair as he stood behind her, looking at the broken glass from the bottle of bourbon, he immediately blanched, sober now.

"Desole chere, I didn't-"Remy began but stopped as he heard Rogue giggle.

She shook her head at the shards of glass littering her floor. She turned to him still giggling as he look down at her worried, she tipped up and kissed him quickly still laughing. Remy eyed her for a moment a grin playing at the corners of his lips and he began to chuckle along with her.

Rogue carefully hopped from the bathroom to her bed watching as Remy proceed skillfully balancing on his toes but walking with a normal stride to her side. She pulled back the covers and dropped her towel slipping beneath her sheets. Remy joined her, moving closer as he stared into her emerald eyes her wet hair sticking to her face. It made him smile.

They just laid there staring at one another; they're bodies lying in the same curled up position mirrored by the other. Rogue would reach out and trace his jaw and Remy would capture a lock of her hair between his fingers feeling its silky texture slip through his fingers.

"Did you ever think we'd be here?" Rogue asked after a long while, her head was now on his chest as she traced lines on his chest and stomach.

He knew she wasn't talking about this. She was talking about everything, about getting close, about falling in love, about being joined together as a family, about being ripped apart, about the distance and the time. She was talking about it all.

"Non," Remy replied truthfully. "But I wouldn't have it any other way. Even if it was just flash in the dark, I would always want y'."

Rogue listened to his words. She knew it was true, she felt the same way. Even lying here beside him, she knew this time was fleeting, that reality would eventually set in. She could only live her fantasy life for so long.

"In this world of ordinary people, extraordinary people, I'm glad there is you," she whispered.

"In this world of over-rated pleasures and underrated treasures I'm glad there is you," he whispered back as he kissed her hair.

Rogue could hear the soft smooth croon of the singer without the music. Nothing was playing but she could still hear the words as if it was yesterday, as if she was back in that room with him listening to it for the first time.

"More than ever I'm glad there is you," Rogue finished as she heard the last note play in her head.

"Oui, Anna Marie, more than ever I'm glad there is you," Remy said as they both watched the sun begin to peak through the cracks in her curtains.

The day was beginning and soon with it the mistakes of night would be washed away by its rays. Rogue held tighter to Remy and he wrapped her up closer to him. The day was breaking and taking everything along with it.


	19. What You Mean to Me

A/N: So I'm feeding mine and JasmineBella's and maybe some others addiction. What can I say I'm an enabler of the worst kind!

I've had really no time to write but for some reason when I'm my most stressed and anxious writing just happens. So here's another update. Hope you like it.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Gambit woke up early. He didn't want to sleep. His mind was a flurry of thoughts and anxiety and fear. He'd thought he'd made the right decision bringing her to the safest place he knew. But he should have known that this wasn't a safe place, not for a girl like her.

He had taken a shower, had paced the lounge room, had shuffled through his old things and about a dozen packs of cards, but nothing could stop the worry filled thoughts from plaguing him. He didn't want to get caught, not for his sake, he didn't care if he got caught, but for hers.

It wasn't until Rogue began to miss the feeling of his body warmth that she realized he was up and gone. She was startled for a moment, though not for the reason she would have thought. She was one of those people who were never accustomed to sleeping in new places; she always had a hard time finding slumber in a place that wasn't her own.

But she wasn't startled by the new surroundings that should've seemed foreign. It was the lack of Gambit, the fear that something horrible could have happened to him that set her heart galloping forward and her body running from room to room.

"Gambit!" she called out as she checked the bathroom and closet. "Gambit"

She rushed back out of the bathroom into the bedroom to see a bedraggled Gambit, shirtless and in a pair of jeans darting out from behind the door to the lounge area. He looked as scared as she felt.

She jumped into his arms and while he was shocked at first he held her close to him, petting her hair in an attempt to calm her down.

"Shush, shush, chere. I'm here, what's wrong?" he asked confused.

"Ah thought ya had gone. Ah thought…"she was trying to stop herself from sobbing. She was overreacting and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. Things weren't going the way they had planned and she knew it.

"Shush, chere, shush, it's fine. I'm right here. I'm not goin' anywhere," Gambit soothed. He felt like he was lying to her and for all he knew he was.

They stood there for a second Rogue just clutching him, burying her face in his chest. She took deep calming breath, all she could smell was his skin and it was the best form of pacification that she could have had.

After a moment he kissed the top of her head and pulled back slightly. He took her face in his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. Staring up into his bright red eyes and the way they flashed at her with warmth and caring, Rogue felt better. Not all the way back to where they had been, but better. He brushed her white strands back behind her ears and kissed her forehead gently.

"Come on get dressed," he said warmly as he released her and made his way to the closet, her padding along behind him.

"Where we goin'?" Rogue asked sleepily as she finally tried to wrap her head around what was going on.

"Well it's de mornin' and there is dis meal that people have in de mornin'; breakfast I think it's called," he teased. Rogue rolled her eyes a smile playing at her lips as she watched him pull a t-shirt out from one of the drawers and slip it on with ease.

"Fine if ya insist, Ah guess we'll have this meal, but its sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me," Rogue replied tartly and Gambit grinned broadly at her, kissing her head once again as he left her to get ready.

Rogue dressed quickly before joining Gambit in the lounge room. It was fitting for him; he just seemed to be so at home, leaning against something or spread out on a couch or chaise lounge. She smiled as he came into view and he returned it with one of his wicked grins. She knew he had something no good on his mind and it made her blood sing.

He stood up and held out his arm and she put her arm through it and they made their way down to the kitchen for breakfast. As they rounded the final corner to where the dining room was Rogue could hear the hustle and bustle of voices and silverware clanking and people enjoying their meal.

"Come on," Gambit murmured as he opened the door and Henri and Mercy came into view sitting at a rather large dark oak table. It wasn't set as formally as Rogue would have pictured seeing Gambit's room last night but it was still rather fancy for what she was used to.

Henri was sitting at the head of the table with Mercy on his right. Next to her sat Emil with his bright red hair all tousled and messy like he just got out of bed. Beside him was boy who looked around Rogue's age, he had big, round, bright blue eyes and the curliest brown hair Rogue had ever seen. Emil and him seemed to be having a whispered conversation about something.

To Henri's left a set of three empty chairs, which Rogue presumed were to be her's and Gambit's although she didn't know why there would be another empty seat. She looked up expectantly at Gambit and he just smiled down at her and led her to one of the chairs.

"Aww frérot I see y' finally made it ta breakfast," Henri admonished as Gambit and Rogue took their seats closest to Henri.

"Well Roguey here didn't wanna get outta bed," Gambit grinned as he looked over at Rogue.

She rolled her eyes and was about to retort when Emil spoke up.

"Well she wouldn't be de first femme, huh, Rems."

Rogue's jaw dropped and she heard Gambit growl beside her. He was ready to lunge across the table at his cousin when Rogue replied.

"Aww Emil don't be jealous that your cousin has special femmes who want ta spend all day in bed with him and ya can't even get a girl ta look at ya."

The whole room erupted in laughter as Emil made a pouty face and muttered something about having had plenty of dates with super models. Yeah in his dreams Rogue thought as she kept giggling at Emil's expense.

"I think she'll fit in jus' fine here frérot. She's just as scathin' as Mercy is," Henri said between chuckles, wiping tears from his eyes.

Mercy gave Rogue a quick nod and a smile saying that she too understood what it was like to deal with all these ridiculous men. Rogue smiled shyly back and looked to Gambit, then down at their empty plates. Where was their breakfast?

She moved closer to Gambit's ear to whisper, "Umm where's the food Swamp Rat?"

Gambit smiled down at her before turning to Henri, "Ou est la nourriture?" (Where's the food?)

Henri replied back in French as well and Rogue was unsure if they were talking about food, her, or their stupid cousin.

"Tante est-elle apporter en ce moment." (Tante will bring it in a minute).

Gambit nodded and whispered back to Rogue that it would just be a second. She nodded and tried to decipher what had been said. She knew three languages, English, Southern English, and Sarcasm; French might as well have been alien gibberish to her.

As they were waiting to be served, the door opened again and another man entered. He too had the same bright round blue eyes as the boy sitting across from Rogue but he was much older and larger in size and his hair was a strange copper color.

"Mornin' mon cousins. I heard news dat dere is ghost in here by the name of Remy Lebeau," the man bellowed as he walked towards the table and behind Gambit's chair.

Gambit wore a less than pleased expression as the man gripped him from behind and proceeded to lift Gambit and the his chair into the air. Rogue gasped and tried to hide her laughter as the man pulled Gambit from his chair and embraced him in a great big bear hug. Gambit merely shook his head as the rest of the table laughed at the spectacle.

"Okay, okay, Theoren, y' made y' point, now put moi down before I hurt y'," Gambit growled playfully as he brushed himself off and took his seat once again.

"Well it's not everyday dat I get ta see mon favorite cousin," Theoren crooned as he took his place across from his brother, leaving a seat between him and Rogue.

"Hey I thought I was y' favorite cousin!" Emil exclaimed in agitation.

Everyone except Rogue gave Emil pointed glances. She tried to hide her amusement behind her hand but it was difficult. It seemed that Emil was just the butt of everyone's joke.

"Lapin, y' are on de bottom of de list of favorite cousins, even Etienne trumps y' and he's de runt of de litter," Gambit proclaimed as he leaned back in his chair, putting his arm around the back of Rogue's chair possessively.

The boy sitting beside Emil smiled broadly and proceeded to eat his eggs with much more fervor than before. He looked to Rogue and smiled sheepishly before looking back down at his eggs. Rogue turned to look at Gambit as his cousin sitting beside her spoke up once more.

"So y' gonna introduce us ta dis femme y' have y' claws sunk inta or are we jus' gonna pretend she's not here?" Theoren asked leaning his elbow on the table as he gazed across at Gambit.

Gambit rolled his eyes and put his arm around Rogue's shoulder and used his other hand to gesture in Vanna White fashion to her.

"Dis belle femme dat I have de pleasure of housin' is Rogue. And dese," Gambit gestured to his cousins with a scowl and pointed index finger, "scoundrels are sadly de best and brightest of de Thieves Guild since I left and I also have de shame of bein' related to dem."

Theoren scoffed beside Rogue and Etienne just grinned again as he waited for Gambit to continue.

"Roguey, y' met de bane of mon existence, mon cousin Emil Lapin. Beside him is mon petit cousin Etienne and beside you is his brother de muscle of de Thieves Guild Theoren."

"Please call moi Theo, I only let femmes I'm beddin' call me Theoren," Theo crooned as he took Rogue's hand and kissed it dramatically. "Mais on second thought y' can call me Theoren."

Gambit threw a pointed glance at his cousin before wagging his finger at him.

"Don't make me hurt y' Theoren. Y' may be bigger dan an ox but I can still make y' cry like a baby."

Theoren guffawed loudly and Etienne snickered.

"He's jus' mad dat y' back. He was tryin' ta take y' place as Guild sleaze when y' left," Etienne commented quietly still looking down at his plate.

The whole room was consumed with laughter once more and Etienne just sat there with a simple smile on his face as his cousins hooted and hollered around him, Emil patting him roughly on the back as he chortled.

Rogue found him adorable. He was the quiet one of the bunch, and he seemed like the sweet innocent one. She found herself fitting in with this bunch more and more. It was nice to be sitting around a table with a family. She had never had this before. Erik and Raven were always too busy to share family meals with their children and John was hardly ever home so Rogue was used to eating alone.

When she was shipped off to boarding school for the first time, she was overcome with the idea of having a meal with a huge amount of people. It seemed exciting. But then it turned out to be alienating. No one wanted to sit with the girl whose father was a senator. She was untouchable, she was a no go area. Making friends with her would mean you'd be in jeopardy of being criticized by her father.

Rogue was listening to the cousins go at it when the door to the kitchen opened and suddenly all the boys were standing up and quiet. Rogue craned her head around Gambit to see what exactly it was that they were all looking at.

Standing in the doorway, wearing a simple cream colored knit shawl over a cream colored dress was a small chocolate colored woman. She seemed old and young all at once. She couldn't have been older than fifty, but her eyes, dark and almond shaped held a mysticism, a wisdom that was beyond her years.

She walked slowly to her seat, looking over at Rogue and smiling softly and gently. Rogue smiled back. She didn't know why but this woman made her feel loved. Really loved. Just her entire air, her eyes and the simple smile made her feel like she belonged in this place; with one look she validated Rogue being in this house. She wasn't scared that she would be out on the street anymore, not the she ever really was, Henri had told her she was his _famille_, but this woman was confirming it.

Without knowing it Rogue was hugging this woman. The woman held her closely and her soft scent of vanilla and spice made Rogue feel calm and perfect, like this woman's arms were where she was supposed to be. She was more motherly than Raven had ever been. Rogue couldn't remember the last time her mother had hugged her.

When Rogue broke the hug the woman was holding her face in her small weathered hands and smiling, her dark eyes glittering with joy. She kissed Rogue on both cheeks and then turned to Gambit who was standing beside her.

The whole table was looking at Rogue in shock. She obviously didn't know who she was hugging, but it didn't matter. She was someone important. She didn't know it then, but she could feel it, she could feel it in her bones and so she embraced her.

The woman took Gambit in her arms and he held her close whispering something in French to her before kissing her on the cheek and setting her back down on the floor. The woman took her seat and the rest of the table sat down.

Rogue's hand was being held by the woman's and they seemed to have an entire silent conversation as everyone else looked on. She was mesmerized by this odd woman beside her and she couldn't take her eyes off her.

Two servants appeared and put a plate of food in front of Rogue and Gambit. Gambit gestured to Rogue to eat and it was then that the spell was finally fading and Rogue smiled back at the woman beside her and then took her napkin in her lap and her fork in her hand.

Henri gazed over to Rogue and spoke gently, "Rogue dis is our Tante Mattie," the woman smiled warmly at her once again.

"And Tante dis is Rogue," Gambit finished smiling down at his chere. Tante nodded in an approving way.

Rogue nodded back and looked to Gambit who was looking at her curiously, his lopsided grin in place. He looked genuinely happy. Like things were working out for the best for once. He put his arm around her chair again and began to chew his food.

Rogue took one bite and was lost in the ridiculous taste. Food wasn't meant to taste this good.

"Tante, how do y' do it!" Gambit exclaimed as he shoveled more food into his mouth.

Tante Mattie just sat with her hands in her lap and nodded. "Y' act like I didn't teach y' how ta cook, mon fils."

"Yeah mais he could never be as good as y' Tante," Henri responded as he finished his cup of coffee.

"Oui never," Gambit agreed. "And quoi took so long for us ta get our food, Tante," he pouted through a mouthful of eggs.

Tante gave him keen eyeful, "Y' want me ta serve y' cold food child. Y' must be outta y' mind. I had ta make a new batch fo' y' and Anna Marie."

Rogue held her fork midway to her mouth. Had she just said her name? Her real name? Rogue looked to Gambit and he just shrugged. How did she know? To everyone except Henri, who obviously knew the situation, she had been introduced as Rogue. She stared with her mouth open for a moment before Gambit nudged her softly leaning close into her ear.

"Y' gonna catch flies y' keep y' mouth open like dat," he teased and Rogue shook her head.

As the meal continued Rogue and Mercy became engrossed in a conversation about their favorite books which really could have gone on forever. The boys started talking about their latest heists and Etienne was set to begin his tilling soon. Tante just watched the table with enamored eyes; much like a loving and doting parent would when around all their children.

As they finished eating Gambit's cousins all excused themselves. Emil and Theoren said they had reconnaissance work to do for upcoming heists and Etienne said he was still studying for his tilling. Henri sat with his fingers steepled at the head of the table looking for all the world like a serious man.

"We gonna have dat chat now frère?" Gambit asked as Mercy and Rogue continued to talk.

"Oui, oui," Henri muttered as he stood up from his seat.

Gambit kissed Rogue on the head as he passed. "Be right back," he murmured against her hair.

Gambit followed Henri upstairs to his father's office. The room was sacred in the Lebeau mansion. No one would disturb them here. Not unless they wanted to get severely hurt. Henri took his seat behind the desk in the large leather chair as Gambit sunk into one of the chairs on the opposite side. He felt like a kid getting called to the principal's office.

"Chair suits y'," Gambit joked and Henri chuckled.

"Yeah fo' now. I'm surprised père even left dis room unlocked," Henri muttered shaking his head with a smile.

"Never thought it would take trois years ta set up the Los Angeles branch huh frère," Gambit commented.

After a particular bloody battle with the Assassin's Guild, the Thieves had decided branching further out was in their best interest. They already had European branches in Paris and Italy, and the workings of Canadian guild in Vancouver. But they wanted to strengthen themselves on home turf and so Jean-Luc decided east and west coast branches were needed. He took the job of setting up the west coast branch in sunny Los Angeles, California, while his counselor, second in command took the job of setting up the New York branch.

Gambit had only been sixteen when the deal was to go down and had been given the choice to stay in New Orleans or come with his father and help strengthen the Guild. He would've declined if he wasn't so sure that he wanted to go to California. He had always loved New Orleans but he was yearning for somewhere new, a place to be independent of what the Guild knew. New Orleans had been explore, he wanted somewhere where he could sink his toes in the sand and his footprints would be washed away, not somewhere where his name was synonymous with a whole slew of tales and people.

Jean-Luc was happy to bring his son along at first, but there was also the issue of who would be running the New Orleans branch while he was gone. It was then at the ripe old age of twenty four that Henri took his position as interim patriarch while his father assisted the Los Angeles branch. For three years Henri had been head honcho in the Guild and for three years he went without seeing his father and brother aside from the holidays.

Gambit could see from the way his brother wore a sad smile that he wished he could have declined that job offer. But certain things were promised to a Prince of Thieves and in Henri's case it was the crown.

"Ouias…it's been hard without y' and pere here. Mais dat's not what we're here ta talk 'bout," Henri began shaking the sadness from his bright blue eyes.

Gambit nodded and sat up somewhat straighter.

"Y' know y' and Rogue can stay here for as long as y' like, but keepin' pere outta de loop is not gonna last. Y' know how hard it is ta keep a secret from him, especially one like dis."

Gambit pursed his lips into a hard line. It was true. Nothing got past Jean-Luc. So how was it that he was able to get so far? If Jean-Luc had been notified that Rogue was missing and that Gambit was thought to be the culprit why was he not looking?

"Y' said he called ta see if we were here, non?" Gambit asked, staring off into the distance as he tried to connect things in his head.

"Oui, mais I don't think he thought y' really were wit her."

"Did he ask if we were here or did he ask if y' had seen moi?" Gambit asked. They were two totally different questions and knowing Jean-Luc they had two totally different implications.

"He asked if y' were here, mais I don't understand the difference," Henri said wrinkling his brow.

"He knew we were comin'. Merde. He knows!" Gambit said with a half amused half frightened squawk.

Henri blanched as realization washed over him.

"Dieu dat man and his senses!" Henri exclaimed as he shook his head. But something still didn't make sense.

"Mais dat means…"

"He didn't tell de senator, but de real question is why," Gambit continued.

Why did his father have to be such an enigma? Obviously he didn't care that Rogue had ran away with Gambit. Or else he would've told Erik that he had. So what was the draw? There was always a draw with Jean-Luc when it came to serious matters. So what was it?

"How long til he gets back, de Los Angeles branch is almost completely self-sufficient non," Gambit asked getting amped with all these connections he was making.

"I don't know fo' sure. Père said another couple weeks at de most. Mais soon, very soon," Henri added darkly. The Lebeau boys were in trouble and they knew it.

"Well I guess pere planned it dat way non, he'll be back just after we got here and settled in. Mais I say we put a wrench in dat plan," Gambit replied his eyes glinting mischievously.

"What do y' mean frerot, dis isn't exactly de type of situation y' fuck wit," Henri admonished.

"Do y' still have dat apartment y' and Mercy stayed in when y' first proposed?"

Henri nodded. "Oui, pourquoi?"

"We might be able ta get some use outta it still," Gambit replied his lips turning up into a devilish smile.

Henri shook his head. Weren't they in deep enough shit already? His little brother just loved the thrill of being entangled in such things. He rolled his eyes and smiled at his brother. Remy Lebeau was back in New Orleans and that meant only one thing. Trouble was brewing.


	20. Time's All Relative

A/N: Okay I have to make two quick apologies to JasmineBella and WarriorPrincess-1980

Firstly, JasmineBella please do no neglect your life for my silly story, I would feel super guilty if your whole life got ruined because you were so invested in this ROMY fic. But on that same note please keep reviewing because it makes me happy! XD

Secondly, WarriorPrincess-1980 , I am sorry that I am bipolar when it comes to Rogue and Gambit and how they are all happy one second and all angsty the next. I realize my story is like a rollercoaster of emotions and can be a little much. I don't think I can write it any other way though. So please don't leave me! :/ I love reading your reviews. They sound so frustrated and it makes me giggle because I don't wanna frustrate anyone.

Okay that is all for now. Enjoy this romy goodness coming up. It should please thoroughly, I hope.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present Day- The Xavier Institute<strong>_

The sun was peeking through the curtains and Remy's hands were ghosting against Rogue's shoulder. She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to feel the emptiness return because while he was here, lying beneath her she could feel things stirring within her that made all that pain dissipate. His lips pressed softly to her temple and her jaw and her cheek.

Time was running out. He couldn't stay forever. She knew that. The question was, would she make him leave, would she be able to make him leave, or would he know he'd have to go? Rogue kept her eyes closed. She didn't want to see how light it was getting in her room. She wanted to delude herself into believing that it was still night. That there was no possibility of this ever ending.

She nestled closer to his chest, breathing in his scent, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers. It was all she had, right now. The only reassurance that this was real and not fantasy. Remy knew that he couldn't stay. She wouldn't let him. But he wasn't going to leave til she told him to. He wasn't going to run. Not without her.

They were lying together, lying to themselves, when there was a jingle of the doorknob. Rogue startled by the noise sat up straight, wide eyed and stared down at Remy. He had an unfazed look on his face, as if he didn't care if they got caught. She wrapped the sheets around her as best she could and began to whisper/yell at Remy to hide in the ensuite.

"Go!" Rogue continued. "If Ah get caught with ya here Ah can be expelled. Go!"

Remy rolled his eyes and took his time getting out of the bed. Rogue pushed him to hasten his gait and as his feet touched the ground he was suddenly and swiftly in the ensuite, door closed behind him.

Rogue made sure to gather as much of a covering as possible. The doorknob continued to jangle in the background as she searched for clothing. Then there were frustrated knocks, close and loud. Rogue huffed as she opened a drawer and found a pair of sweats and a t-shirt throwing them on as fast as she could. Screw underwear. At this point she just wanted to make sure she looked like she got of bed from a horrible night's sleep not look like she had just spent the whole night screwing my ex boyfriend for the last time.

The pounding on her door continued as she approached the door.

"Ah'm comin'! Ah'm comin'," she tried to muster up her best irritated voice. It wasn't that hard.

She opened the door to see none other than Robert Drake, dressed in his usual blue button down and khaki pants. His face held that uninterested expression and his dull blue eyes wandered down the hall a bit. Rogue leaned in her doorway and folded her arms giving him her best glacial stare.

"What's up Bobby? Ah was tryin' ta sleep," she snapped as she scooted the door closed a little more with her foot.

Bobby turned his gaze to her and her disheveled look, his eyes immediately turned hungry, as he looked up and down her body. He moved closer to her, putting his hand on her hips. Rogue fought back her gag reflex and tried to keep her face impassive as he leaned down towards her.

"Mmm, you look like you've been missing me babe," Bobby crooned as he lowered his head to her neck. "You look all bedraggled. It's really hot."

Rogue couldn't take it and pushed her hand into his stomach softly. "Bobby Ah just woke up Ah'm not in the mood. Besides ya came here to tell me somethin'?" Rogue said pushing him back further and closing the door fully behind her.

Bobby rolled his eyes and pulled his hand through his listless blond hair. "Oh yeah. Head of Security is lookin' for you, somthin' about a possible break in or whatever."

Rogue blanched but Bobby didn't seem to notice. He immediately reached for Rogue once more, his hand going to the small of her back to press her against him. "But that can wait a minute. Let's have some fun first."

His hand went to the doorknob, opening the door. Rogue pushed against his chest as his lips threatened to meet her own.

"That sounds important. Ah should probably go see Logan now. Ya know how he is about security and stuff. Don't wanna make him angry," Rogue muttered as she slipped past Bobby and closed her door again.

Bobby eyed her skeptically, narrowing his gaze as Rogue stood there awkwardly waiting for him to leave. "Yeah…emergency or somethin'…."

His eyes bored into her; she could feel his gaze scrutinizing her every movement and it was disconcerting. But she kept up her irritated façade her mind racing with thoughts of getting caught.

"Ya wanna come with me?" Rogue suggested a little too bubbly for herself. She couldn't help it; she needed to get Bobby as far away from her room as possible. Or at least get him disinterested in whatever was going on.

He took the bait. He made a disgruntled face and waved his hand. "Nah, you go ahead, besides," he looked down the hall a couple doors. "I think I see Tabby…she's got some notes I need to copy."

Rogue wanted to roll her eyes. With all her being she wanted to say 'Yeah the fuck right' but truth was she didn't care if Bobby was fucking Tabby. It wasn't like she was interested in him anymore. If she ever really had been. Rogue shrugged and pecked him quickly on the cheek.

"'Kay babe. See ya later, then?" she said as she started to walk down the hall.

Bobby's eyes already set on Tabby's door. "Huh… yeah sure," he muttered as he waved goodbye and jogged up to Tabby's door as she began to exit it, her face lighting up as he sauntered by.

Rogue ignored it. She really didn't care. She had bigger problems. Like the life size Cajun doll she had stowed away in her bathroom. The same good ol' doll that Logan might've figured out broke in last night. She rubbed her hand down her face and sprinted to the security room. This day was just starting out great.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue was sitting in the lounge area of Gambit's wing, on one of the plush couches reading a book that Mercy had recommended. She was gnawing at her lip. Gambit and Henri had been talking for a long time. A really long time. Or at least that's how it felt. She was desperately trying to distract herself. She swore she read the same page seventy times.

She was just about to throw the book across the room and hunt down Gambit, when he ambled through the door a smirk on his face and an exhausted look in his bones. His smile broadened as he looked down at Rogue sitting on his couch, biting her finger, a book nestled in her lap, her legs gathered up on the couch. It was a beautiful site. Seeing her in his room. Like she belonged there.

He watched her eyes light up as he came closer, her green eyes widening and sparkling in the mid day light of the living room. He walked up and laid straight down in her lap, covering her book with his head.

Rogue chuckled as she pulled the book from underneath Gambit's head and he looked up at her with amused dazzling eyes, smiling like a little boy. She stroked his hair and they just sat there for a few moments just drinking in the peace while it lasted.

"So what happened with Henri," Rogue said breaking the peaceful silence. She couldn't help it; she was worried. What if they had to leave again? She liked it here where she was, in Gambit's home, with Gambit's family, in Gambit's arms.

Gambit quirked his eyebrows but his lips hardened into a line. He took on a more thoughtful expression as he began to fiddle with his fingers.

"Well dere's good news and bad news," he said simply, still not looking at her.

Rogue snorted. "Well Ah could've guessed that much, but go on," she said as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. He loved the way it felt.

"Well good news is dat as far as I know we're fine, y' père called mon père and he doesn't know where we at," Gambit took a deep breath before continuing. "Bad news is dat mon père knows we're together and guessed we'd head ta de Guild."

Rogue's fingers stopped stroking his head as she stared out blankly; fear gripping her. So this life was set to end. They were caught. There was no way to stop it. She was going back to hell. And there would be no white knight with red on black eyes to save her this time. Because he'd be gone too. They'd make sure of it. She didn't notice then how Gambit had sat up and was holding her shoulder, looking into her eyes.

"Chere, don't worry, it's not exactly a bad thing. Not entirely, because y' see Jean-Luc hasn't said anythin' to y' pere. Which means he doesn't plan to."

Rogue looked at him, her eyes filling with tears. She didn't want to go back. She felt herself begin to sob.

"Oh chere, don't cry. Everythin's gonna be alright, d'accord. I promise mon chere, I won't let anythin' bad happen ta y'," he said pulling her close as she cried against his shoulder.

"But he knows and he's gonna send me back. Ah just know it Gambit, Ah just know, he's-hes," she sobbed some more.

"Non," Gambit said pulling her back and cradling her face in his hands. "Jean-Luc would've told him what he suspected already if he we're gonna send y' back. Non, he has other plans in mind. Which is why dis is bad news. Because I don't know what he has planned. But he won't send y' back not now dat he's got y' here in de heart of de Thieves Guild."

Rogue looked into his eyes seeing that reassuring glint of fire pass through his irises and she believed him. Deep down in her core she believed that he would protect her, that he was telling her the truth.

She took a deep breath and settled down a bit, kissing Gambit lightly on the lips, "Okay, Ah believe you."

He smiled down at her and pressed her close to him, leaning his head on her head.

"Good now, I thought we might have a li'l fun," he grinned mischievously down at her.

Rogue quirked an eyebrow and regarded him incredulously. "And what may that entail?"

He waggled his eyebrows and Rogue kept her expression icy. "I thought I might show y' around de grounds and stuff. Y' haven't seen half de place yet."  
>Rogue rolled her eyes and chuckled. Okay that was the last thing she expected him to suggest for them to do.<p>

"Alright that sounds like fun," Rogue said standing up and holding her hand out to Gambit.

"Bon!" he said standing up and clasping Rogue's hand in his and flying out of the room and down the flights of stairs with her entow, running to catch up with him.

He had given her a tour of the entire mansion. At least the places she could see, seeing as she wasn't technically a part of the Thieves Guild, she wasn't allowed to go into the working wings, with all the real deal filing and training gear and rooms and warehouse storage.

But she was allowed to go everywhere else. Gambit showed her the other bedrooms. Mercy and Henri's wing, Jean-Luc's floor with his office and the master bedroom and his small lounge room for entertaining. He showed her the games room, the library where she felt like Belle in Beauty in the Beast which made Gambit growl in an attempt at humor, Rogue just gave him a look and they both started laughing.

They had an indoor pool and sauna and gym, though Gambit said it rarely got used with the training rooms for the Guild being on site anyways. They had a greenhouse that had every type of flower and plant she had ever seen and then some. Gambit picked her a daisy and put it behind her ear. She had smiled and went shyly back to looking at the various orchids.

There was the kitchen and the informal dining room where they had breakfast. Then he showed her the great dining hall. Yeah the Great Dining Hall. Like they were in Harry Potter or something. The room looked like it could easily house a hundred guests at one giant table. There were glass chandeliers and sterling silver candelabras. Paintings from pre-revolution France hung on the walls. Rogue had asked if they were real and Gambit replied that they had been appraised but not paid for. Rogue caught the picture.

They went through various sitting rooms and meeting rooms all filled with luxurious furniture and decorations and Rogue was in awe of all the things that were so easily confiscated although Gambit was quick to point out some were easier than others.

He showed her the music room, with a real grand piano that was who knows how old, there were cellos and violins and saxophones and guitars and a bunch of other instruments. She asked Gambit if he played anything and he shrugged and said a little of everything. Yeah like it was not a big deal. Rogue couldn't play a recorder. She had tried. And he could play everything. Yeah Mr. Modest Remy Lebeau. She wasn't buying it.

They made their way through the Grand Ballroom, i.e. more chandeliers and more crystal and ridiculously pricey decorations. She asked if they ever used it and Gambit nodded. Said it was for the big Christmas party they threw every year to celebrate the end of a year of Thieving. Rogue nodded and thought of whether they dressed super nice or not. Like they were at some Royal event or something.

As the evening started to come upon them, they ended up on the back porch, the one with the French windows that looked into the kitchen. The sun was beginning to dip beyond the trees lining the distance and the sky was radiating a bright burnt orange and in the distance the indigo sky was looming with night on its end.

"Y' ready for suppa?" Gambit asked as a servant placed two plates between them on the round patio table they were sitting by.

Rogue nodded and licked her lips. She was going to gain thirty pounds living here if Tante Mattie kept up her cooking. Gambit chuckled as Rogue began to shovel food into her mouth and moan in pleasure as her taste buds were electrified with perfection.

"Y' gonna give me ideas y' keep moanin' like dat," Gambit said suggestively as he sipped his tea.

Rogue blushed a bright red and chewed a bit slower, swallowing after a moment. "That's not sayin' much seein' as everythin' gives ya ideas," Rogue retorted as she finished what was on her plate and set her fork down, wiping her lips with her napkin.

"Y' finished already? Aww I thought de show was just gettin' started," Gambit replied in a fake whine as Rogue rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the setting sun.

They sat looking out at the view of the sun dipping behind the hunter green trees for a moment before Gambit stood up and stretched out. Rogue watched him curiously as he began to lean against the porch post and stare at her, his arms folded, waiting. But for what?

Rogue sighed and leaned back in her chair, "Okay Swamp Rat what is it? What do ya wanna do now?"

Gambit just grinned wolfishly his eyes sparking infernos in the dimming light. He didn't say a word; he just held his hand out, waiting for her to join him.

Rogue rolled her eyes and got up; glaring at him as she took his hand and they slowly descended the steps. They walked in silence as they crossed the lush lawn that glowed gold in the setting sun. They made their way under a great oak tree where Rogue could see Gambit and Henri had carved their names as young boys and where Henri had put his and Mercy's initials in a big heart. It was sweet.

She thought they were going to stop and admire the view from where the meadow dipped in front of the oak tree but they kept on a rarely trodden path leading into the tree line.

"Where are we goin', Cajun?" Rogue asked as he continued to lead her deeper and deeper into the dark forest of contorting trees and thick brush. It was beautiful in that eerie way that kind of scared her at the same time.

"Y'll see. Just wait. Don't worry I'm not gonna let nothin' happen to y'," he said as he traversed the brush like he had done it a million times.

Rogue could hear water running in the distance, a tiny stream maybe that was babbling nearby. Through the canopy created by the trees Rogue could see the indigo sky dotted with bright lights from the stars as one then two then many more sparkled into the creeping darkness.

Through the tree vines and brush Rogue found that the path was beginning to narrow and Gambit had gone some distance ahead of her. Okay she was about to get pissed that he was leaving her in his wake, if it wasn't for the fact that she was trying to take in all the sights before her.

She ran her fingertips along the soft bark of trees and felt the small dew of the humid air as it stuck to her skin. She saw a lightning bug buzz passed and could hear the stream in the distance become ever fainter. Just ahead she saw Gambit, through a slight opening in between the trees; he was standing with his back to her.

As she finally made it passed all the trees and could see him clearly a clearing came into view and smack dab in the middle was a great big pond. On one side there was a large set of boulders all resting on one another and on the other was the small stream feeding water into the pond and continuing on past the boulders. The tree line completely hid it on all sides and Rogue was shocked that it looked so peaceful, so hidden away from the world.

She took her spot beside Gambit listening to the sounds of the water and the gentle ribbits of the bayou frogs. She could see the lightning bugs dancing together in the tree line, like twinkle lights resting on the bark. The water was clear and blue and spotted with lily pads and fox tails. Overhead the sky sparkled with bright stars and the moon illuminated the small space in its milky glow.

"This place is…" Rogue tried to explain how beautiful this was but it was hard to describe.

Gambit looked over at her and smiled and took her hand in his kissing the back of it softly. "This is mon special place. I used ta come here when I wanted ta get away from all de stress of de guild. It still works. Like it's a little world all on its own."

Rogue smiled serenely at him. It was. Like something magical only they knew about. She was struck by how he was sharing something so special with her. It meant a lot, even now after all they had shared with each other.

"So how's the water?" Rogue asked waiting to see Gambit's expression. His face went through an array of emotions before he responded. Confusion, disbelief, excitement, and then calm. He looked back out at the pond as if her words hadn't fazed him.

"Why don't we find out?" he asked still looking at the water.

Rogue shrugged and began walking towards the boulders. Gambit tried to keep gazing at the water, tried and failed as Rogue sauntered towards the rocks, first taking off her shoes and then her socks and then running towards the rocks undoing the buttons of her shirt.

Gambit swallowed. He'd never thought she'd call his bluff. But then he wasn't complaining at all. He watched as she disappeared behind the rocks. His breathing was hitching. She had him going already. She was too much. He waited to see if she really was going to do what he suggested and just as he thought she had chickened out she appeared on the top boulder.

In the milky light of the moon, all he could see was her silhouette, but it was enough. He could see it all, her perfect curves blanketed in the glowing light, and she stood on the boulder breathing, just watching him for a moment. It was exhilarating just watching her as she stood there, her arms spread out beside her as her toes curled over the edge. And with a deep breath Rogue leaped into the air and dove perfectly into the water surfacing after a moment.

She looked to see if he was still standing at the shore and sure enough with a completely shocked and stupidly happy grin on his face he was looking at her, gazing at her with his hungry red on black eyes.

And then he was gone. A flash against the tree line as he flew towards the boulders, jumping out of his clothes as fast as he could. Gambit knew he was being a little ridiculous. But she made him lose his mind sometimes. He had never done this before. He had never brought a girl here before. And for her to be doing this was making him go insane with want for her.

Rogue was floating in the mild water. It felt good against her sweat lined skin. She was staring up at the boulder, waiting for his figure to appear against the backdrop of black and diamond studded sky. After a few moments of gathering his thoughts and realizing that he should just take things slowly Gambit appeared on the rock.

Rogue tried to contain her giddiness but it was difficult seeing him up there if only for a second and how his tanned body glowed in the light and every dip and line of his body was there to behold. She tried to look at his face but found herself taking every part of him in and felt the heat of her blush spread from her cheeks.

He flew from the boulder landing with a subtle grace, feet first in the water, creating a tiny splash. Rogue waited for him to surface but seconds ticked by and he had yet to come up. She was starting to worry when she felt herself being tugged beneath the water.

Gambit pulled at her thighs pulling her beneath the murky blue water with him. He loved the way she looked from underneath the water, the way the dim light created a shadow of her in front of him. She realized he had yanked her under with him and proceeded to kick and thrash until they both surfaced out of breath and grinning. This was their game.

Gambit closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms. She could feel his body slick with water pressed against her and it felt right, to just be there with him in this moment.

"Ya could have drowned me ya know," Rogue said as he gazed down at her wrapped up in him.

Gambit rolled his eyes and pulled her tighter against him, she felt him graze her hip. Okay she was catching on to what his game was. She blushed and wriggled a little bit in his hold and he pressed her closer, tighter.

"Goin' somewhere chere?" he asked seductively, his breath brushing past her ear, his hair dripping into his eyes.

She grinned back at him and yanked her arms from in between them, pushing his hair out of his eyes and then wrapping them around his neck.

"How is it that ya always manage ta get me wet, Cajun?" she asked staring into his bright rubies as they flamed with the implications she was making. Rogue couldn't help the blush she had; she wasn't used to being this way, but she liked it nonetheless, as long as it was with him.

Gambit groaned a little and Rogue could feel him stiffen slightly pressed up against her. He moved his head to the crook of her neck kissing her softly there.

"Do y' know what y' do ta me?" he murmured into her flesh. She felt all breathy and light. Like it was taking a little too much to keep herself a float.

Rogue giggled as she felt him press into her hip a bit more. "Ah can guess."

She felt him smile against her neck his hands pressing into the small of her back pulling her closer to him.

"Gambit?" Rogue asked in a half whiny voice. He was moving his lips across her collarbone, down her throat nipping her in delightful ways. He was grinding his hips into hers and she felt herself beginning to lose control.

"Hmm chere," he groaned into her skin again as he felt her fingers tug at the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Go slow….slower please," he could feel her trembling in his arms. He pulled up, looking into her face and the way she was blushing and how her eyes were wide. He smiled gently at her moving his hands to her face.

"As slow as y' wanna go chere," he reassured.

He dipped his head down and took her lips in his and suddenly she didn't care how slow or fast they went. It was perfect because she was with him. They must've stayed in that pond for forever, just floating and pressed against each other. But the next thing she knew they were back on shore and he was kissing every inch of her flesh, doing things to her body she had never even dreamed of. She was riding waves of perfection and it was all because of him.

She pulled him closer to her, wanting to feel him beneath her fingers, wanting to kiss him and touch him as he had done her. She marveled at all he had to offer her. He had given her his heart, his home, his protection. What could she give him? What was there left for her to give him? He knew she had loved him from the beginning. He wouldn't have done all this if it wasn't for that. She was more than willing to give him what little she could.

He tried to steady himself tried; to stop himself but she didn't make it easy. He didn't want her to think he was taking advantage. He didn't want her to think this was the only reason why he had stolen her away. There was so much more he wanted her for, but this, this would always be the most amazing thing she could give. He coveted it, but he wouldn't force her. He would wait. But she was making it hard.

"Remy, Ah don't want ya ta stop," she moaned into his neck.

He paused for a moment and looked down at her. Their eyes caught, her emerald orbs pleading, allowing, saying yes. His deep crimson sparks warning, wary, hoping. She nodded.

"Are y' sure?" he asked. He didn't want to make a mistake. He didn't want her to regret this.

"Ah'm sure Ah want you. More than anythin' in the world," she said still looking into his eyes.

Whatever doubts he had. Vanished. Gone. Poof. He would deny her no longer. He kissed her lips, slowly, gingerly entering her. Rogue gasped, clawing at his back as he moved, always careful of how he touched her. She listened to how his breathing was hitching, how he was lost in her. It was enough to send her tumbling towards the edge, just seeing that she had such an effect on him.

Every push and pull and she was set on fire from him. From the way he groaned in pleasure above her. She was lost in a sea that was all him and she could swim in it all day. He pressed his lips to her catching her breathy gasp as he felt her let go and feel all that she could feel. He lost himself to her, both feeling the electricity shoot through their bodies.

He laid against her over heated skin afterwards. She was thankful for the fullness of his weight; it grounded her in reality. Made everything around her feel real. He slumped to the side when he regained his strength, reaching for her and laying her head against his chest. They laid there and breathed in the moonlight, the stars twinkling brightly and the lightning bugs dancing in the distance and the bayou frogs singing in the stream. This was their perfection. And they'd stay in it for as long as they could.


	21. In the After Hours

_****_A/N: Okay so please forgive me for being such lame ass and taking forever to update but I've been adjusting to college life which royally sucks at giving you any free time. Anyways here's the next chapter hope ya'll like it, it gets a little emotional as I tend to do so be forewarned.

Oh and shout outs to our new reviewers **loftyambitions **and **Yoruichi89 **as well as to you steady reviewers. Thanks for your kind words and I owe you guys like loads of hugs and cookies and like a bunch more for keeping me on track with this shiz. So anyways, next installment, ho!

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><p><em><strong>Present Day- The Xavier Institute<strong>_

Anna was sitting across from Logan with a gigantic wooden desk separating the two. Her arms were folded and Logan's face was set in a tight grimace. His cigar was sitting in a small wide glass ashtray burning listlessly as he narrowed his eyes at her and sniffed rather obnoxiously.

"So?" Rogue asked getting more and more upset with this whole sit here and wait to crack under the pressure of his gaze routine. Logan didn't scare her like the other students. She could care less if he was mad at her if she did something wrong at this point. There was a half naked Cajun lying in her bed right now.

The thought made her shiver slightly, thinking about the night before, holding him in her arms for what would be the last time. She took a deep breath to steady herself and the way her heart was clenching, threatening to burst into nothingness at the simple flicker of his image.

"Motion sensors picked up someone right out side the east wing. But after a couple of minutes the sensors around that area as well as those around the windows went out," Logan stated as he picked up his cigar and took a great long drag.

Rogue rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. She gave him a look that said 'and this has to do with me how?'

Logan responded to her tacit exclamation, "I wanted to know if you might've let someone in without checking them through the front desk."

Rogue sighed and shook her head at him, "Really Logan, you think there's someone hiding in my room. Someone with enough skill to get passed you motion detectors?"

Logan let out a gruff snort. "No, 'course not."

Rogue smiled inwardly. She knew that if she played on Logan's pride she'd more than likely get somewhere. He was never one to admit he had been beaten or out smarted. She knew this first hand from when she beat him in pool. He had gone with the whole 'I let you win routine' but then the next game rolled around and Rogue still won. They hadn't played pool together since.

"Well then Logan, Ah honestly don't know why Ah'm in here. Unless there's another reason for ya to question me or to investigate further, Ah'll be leavin'. Ah have classwork that Ah need ta make up," Rogue said standing up and turning towards the door.

Her hand was caressing the cold sweet metal of the doorknob when Logan spoke once more.

"Ya know Stripes, I wouldn't tell anyone if there was someone up in your room. Someone from your past... Especially if he was a drunk smoker who could leave a trail of his scent from the east wing to your window."

Rogue knew this was the point where he was attempting to get her to turn around with a shocked expression as to how he found out that Remy was here. She just stood there holding on to the doorknob hoping she wasn't showing any weakness; any sign that he had in fact hit the nail straight on the head and secured her in her coffin.

"I'm not that kinda person, ya know that right darlin'. Everyone has a past. And sometimes when it rears its ugly Cajun head even we can't stop ourselves from letting it back in."

Rogue couldn't breathe. Its as if all the air in her lungs had constricted and was spinning vigorously, so much so that it was causing them to collapse on themselves like some kind of self started lung tornado that she had no control over.

Rogue didn't know what to say. Logan was being so sweet. So understanding. It was the opposite of who and what he was and was supposed to do. He was supposed to be a hard ass. That was the basis of their relationship. He dished it out just as harshly as she did and neither were effected.

But this. This tenderness was just so uncommon, caught her so off guard she didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to believe that it was all a ploy in order to get her caught. But then deep down she wanted to, ached to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.

He was one of her only friends at the Institute. One of the only people who she willingly showed emotion in front of. No bullshit, no crying, just anger and hate. Something the burly Canadian could help her deal with and then some.

"Just know what you're gettin' yourself into alright Stripes. I don't want you getting anymore hurt than ya already are," he said quietly.

At that Rogue looked back. Logan was sitting with his head down, his cigar hanging out of his mouth, acting as if he was shuffling between papers. Rogue let a small sad smile cross her lips just for a moment. Just long enough for him to know it was there.

"Yeah...thanks Logan," she murmured as she quickly exited the room.

She knew her mind and her heart would regret last night more than her body ever could. But then again, the touch, his touch would drive her mad and she knew it. If it had taken her five years to break through how long would it take now that she had relapsed. Now that she was once again addicted to him.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue and Gambit were giggling as they approached the back entrance of the house, where the kitchen was visible from the back porch. She was running away from him, her denim shorts and simple tank top sticking to her from the dampness of their earlier swim.

The stars were shining ever brightly and the dim light coming from the porch did nothing to take away from the sight. Gambit chased her around finally capturing her in his arms as they slowly fell to the ground.

Rogue stared up at him and the carefree expression on his face. She wished she could keep him just like this. So perfect and young and without any worries. But there were always worries. Always regrets veiled behind simple acts. Maybe one day he would come to regret this night. Maybe one day she would too.

She looked up at his scarlet irises and how they blazed for her and her alone. The full lopsided grin that graced his lips and how his arms encircled her in the most comfortable way possible. It was all so surreal but when she was here, with him, in his arms, under the stars. It just felt so right.

He pushed her white strands from her face.

"Tell moi what y' thinkin'?" he asked as he stared into her emeralds glittering with hope.

Rogue looked down at the way their bodies were pressed together and how immensely natural such a connection felt. How was it possible to feel like you needed someone close to you in order to breathe? It just didn't make sense.

Rogue looked up at the stars avoiding his gaze for as long as she could stand, which wasn't very long at all. She bit her lip in a playful fashion as she thought about what to say she was thinking about. It was such a simple question. But it would always be a difficult one to answer.

She shrugged as he leaned on his elbows above her waiting expectantly for her to speak. "Ah guess Ah'm jus' thinkin' bout how perfect everything is in this moment...and how it might not last."

Gambit regarded her with inquisitive red eyes, his brow furrowing in that distinctive way of his, his smile fading slightly. What was it going to take to convince her that no one could take her from him? No matter how hard they tried he would always be there, he had promised himself that much and if anything he would promise it to her. If he had to.

"Nothing lasts chere. But I'll be here. Always. I promise," he said brushing her white strands away from her face, running his thumbs along her cheek.

Rogue moved into the velvety coarse touch of his calloused fingertips to her face and closed her eyes. It was too good to be true. The electricity that sparked and rushed and swam through her veins.

Across her eyelids flew the visions of what could be, of what she felt deep in her heart of hearts would be. A small home with just them two. A family. Just them. With Henri and Mercy and Tante visiting. With Etienne and Theo and even Emil coming for holidays. With small auburn haired children running from place to place and a chuckling husband with breathtaking red on black eyes watching and participating in childish mischief.

But it couldn't be. They were robbers, takers. They had stolen this life. This wasn't that kind of thing. It wasn't made and baked and served so naturally. It was coerced; a hand that was forced by the actions of others. By the lack of love in order to create such a love.

It seemed so impossible to have such a thing blossom from such horrible circumstances and that in spite of those circumstances something so beautiful could flourish. Rogue just wasn't strong enough to believe it. She wasn't strong enough to not prepare herself for the inevitable separation that she knew was looming on the horizon.

She opened her eyes slowly, a slat of white and green as she peered passed the fleshy cases. Gambit was still stroking her face, a worried expression marring his usually carefree face.

"You can't promise me love, Remy. It's impossible," Rogue muttered as she rolled to her side, facing the now dark and twisted oak swaying in the night breeze.

Gambit pulled her body towards his, resting his head and weight on one elbow as his hand found its permanent resting place on her hip. He dipped his forehead down to hers as she continued to gaze out at the oak tree, its branches floating this way and that in the cool night air as it caressed the smooth bark with its whispery fingertips.

"You're wrong chere. I can promise y' love. I can't promise y' de future, but I can promise y' right now, dis moment right here and now. I know I'll love y' forever, even if we aren't together. Y' have changed me, made me see things 'bout monself and mon famille that I never would have known without y'. And no matter what distance may be put between us, I will always love y' ma Anna Marie."

The words ghosted past his lips down her neck to her spine traveling up the shivers from her limbs to her own open lips as if she had said the words herself. She knew what he said was true. Could feel that gut jerking response that she had every time she was around him. That uncanny tethering that held them close together even when they weren't in the same room.

"Ah love ya too Remy," Rogue whispered as she pulled his palm to her lips, kissing it gently.

There was silence for a long while. Rogue could feel the tension building in his muscles; the rigidity that he was so capable of holding within him. He was still, no small movements or ticks that he usually had. She could feel his fear of losing her encompass his body in a thick cemented case. She could feel the chill of the threat of distance, or parting all around them.

"I don't want y' to be scared," he murmured his words lifting and rising with the wind.

"Ah don't wanna be scared. But we need ta prepare ourselves for what might, more than likely, happen," Rogue said in a defeated tone her chest heaving out at the end of her sentence.

"Non, it won't ever happen," Gambit replied stubbornly as he gripped her tighter to his body.

Rogue turned over at this and furrowed her brow at him. Was he serious? Was he really so hard headed that he couldn't see reality. She had grown up being a realist. But when she was with him she was able to delude herself into giving into the fairytale. And now for some reason, having felt all she could feel it seemed. Having been brought over the falls of love in every way mentally and physically possible, Rogue was second guessing everything she held to be true while with him.

"You're wrong. People like us can't stay in love forever Remy. Eventually someone will catch us. Eventually we'll be pulled a part and as much as Ah hope to the dear lord that that won't happen, it's inevitable."

Rogue watched as the tears of anger flooded Gambit's eyes which were swaying with a blazing scarlet ferocity that she had never witnessed before. He looked down at her his hand shackling her to the ground as a growl ripped through his chest.

"I won't let y' go back. I'd rather die than to see y' go back there and be hurt again," He thrust her wrist forward between them for her inspection.

"I won't let y' go back ta dis," he said as he pushed her hand to her eyes, watching as her emeralds picked up the small glowing mark, raised and tinted an almost opalescent pink against her porcelain skin.

A thin line, one of many he had found, one of many he had kissed and wished to heal with just the touch of his rough fingertips and supple lips. Did she really believe that he would never notice them? Or had she deluded herself into believing they never existed just like she was feeding into the illusion of their parting?

Rogue jerked her head and wrist away from him, shame clouding her eyes and spilling on to her cheeks. Gambit felt immediate remorse for his actions. He hadn't meant to hurt her, hadn't meant to make her feel anymore like shit. He knew things were bad with her family, but not this bad, not like this.

He let out a deep breath and pulled her close, pressing his cheek against hers, kissing away her tears, taking the small salty droplets to his lips. She shivered against his skin, it seemed so cold and rigid now, so different from the fire she had experienced before.

"I'm sorry cherie, I didn't mean to-" he began.

"Don't, please don't," Rogue sobbed. She tired to catch her breath, tried to pull in air in that steady pace but it seemed impossible. "Ah-Ah...Ah do...Ah cu-..."

"Shhhh, ma amour, shhhh," Remy consoled as his fingers brushed her cheek, she felt that trail of warmth once more. He was no longer a corpse. He was hers once more. "Y' don't have ta say a word. Nothin' y' don't wanna. I take y' as y' are."

Rogue turned over, his arms encasing her in that security blanket of perfection as she stared at his face, consumed with worry and pain and love. His eyes burning bright like torches in the night, his brow furrowed as he attempted to keep his composure.

He took her as she was. Had she heard anything so beautiful before? She could only think that this was as good as him confessing his love for her, for the first time. Sure she knew he had a past, she knew he was a born thief, that he was no virgin, that he drank and smoked and got into trouble. But when he was with her he was different. He was caring, he was stupid to the point of humor, he was hers. Sure she took him as he was, but she never expected the same from him for some reason.

She pressed her lips tentatively to his as they trembled like a leaf in the breeze. She closed her eyes and felt that simple spark, that little brightening of flesh, that small ignition burning into an all out firestorm within her soul that made everything worth it.

She tilted her head away from his, leaning her chin on his shoulder and breathed, just breathed. Her chest pressed flush against his, their hips meeting in that chastely unchaste way, it made the air flow so much more easily from her lips to her lungs.

"Ah don't know how it started," her voice came out all hoarse and stringy. "It was somewhere between New York and Argentina, Ah was jus-just tired of it all. There was this boy, in New York. He was sorta sweet. Kinda had a thing for him."

Gambit's body contracted a minute bit. She could feel his jealousy. He knew she was innocent to the ways of men, he had felt that much just from touching her, from feeling the way she responded to his every caress. Like she was being stroked by heaven itself. But there was something about that confession that hit his pride no matter how much he wanted to admit otherwise.

Rogue could feel it too. He knew she could feel it. Not that any of that mattered. She loved him, not that stupid insignificant little boy. How she wished she could forget all about him. That New York boy. But she couldn't. Because he had shown her things she would never forget. He had shown her the underbelly of herself.

He felt her lips press to his temple, their moisture and silkiness a warm welcome to his pride. She was breathing more easily now but he could sense her quick in take against his skin. He pushed his body against hers, heating her, warming her.

"He could neva compare to ya Rem, he was nothing," Rogue reassured and Gambit could see from the shy way she said it, from the way she hid her eyes from his that she meant it. She was ashamed of this boy. Because he was so small to her.

"But when Ah was in New York he was my everythin'. He showed me the parts of me that Ah had kept hidden from the world. The horrible secrets that Ah didn't wanna face." Rogue paused and took a breath and began to sit up, Gambit moving his body perfectly with hers as they began to ascend upward. He read her mind.

Gambit swept her up and they sat for a moment. Rogue's knees pressed firmly against her chest and she leaned her head on them looking sideways at Gambit as he leaned back on his hands watching her with his burning eyes. He nodded for her to go on and she proceeded.

"He made me realize what Ah had known all along. Ah was different from the girl my parents wanted me to be. Ah wasn't obedient, Ah didn't think the way they wanted me to. Ah questioned them and everythin' they stood for and so they would ship me off under the pretense of giving me a good education.

"Cody was my first friend in New York. He was a scholarship kid. Got inta the boarding school as a way ta get away from his shitty home. And so he saw in me what was so apparent in himself. We were both fucked up," Rogue said with a sigh as she craned her neck upward and stared up at the stars for a moment.

"He made me think we were gonna last and then that summer he left me all alone and didn't even give a damn that he had left me more broken that they ever could. He had shone a light on the whole thing for some sick sadistic pleasure and thought it okay. When Ah got back from New York Raven told me they were gonna ship me out that summer to Argentina, Ah would be in school for that term and the following fall and spring terms. Ah lost it. Ah don't know if John eva told ya this but Ah ran away, was missing for three days before me and ya left, before Ah was supposed ta go ta Argentina," Rogue said matter of factly as she rubbed her nose the tears falling from her eyes like rain from a leaf.

Gambit looked at her, appraised her with apprehensive eyes. He hadn't heard that. It would explain why it was relatively easy for her to leave her home with him, when she knew hardly anything about him, about who he really was.

"Non, he didn't tell me dat," Gambit said as he scooted closer to her, placing a warm sturdy hand at her waist.

Rogue nodded and smiled half-heartedly, chuckling sardonically and raising her eyebrows. "Not somethin' the perfect family would wanna talk 'bout, right? Yeah Ah ran away, stayed in this empty housin' development a couple of blocks down. Ah slept for two days and then figured Ah was done with bein' ignored. Ah got really drunk one night and smashed a mirror in the back alley of the complex. Something about that shard just drew me in. Ah don't know what it was. Maybe the devil in disguise. But there it was and Ah took it in my hand...and well...," she looked out at the beginning of the meadow in front of them and sighed.

She unconsciously stroked the scars on her left arm, the small raised lines, bumpy under her fingertips, soft but rougher than the rest of her skin. Gambit took her hand slowly bringing it closer to him as she caught his eyes and the tears that had welled up in the crescents of the corners of his rubies.

He kissed her wrist, not with ferocity, not with underlying need, but with the simplicity of touch she had never felt from him before tonight. The same naturalness that came from standing in the pond with him, hearing bayou frogs sing and cicadas chirp. It was the kind of magnetism, gravity that only biology, only science could explain. And even then something so great between two human beings felt like too much. That's how she felt. Every time his lips met her skin, her lips, her soul.

"As long as I'm alive I will never let y' go back ta this. Promise me no matta what happens y' won't do this again," he said holding her palm to his face.

Rogue nodded silently as she tasted the salt of her tears at the corners of her lips.

"Say it, Anna Marie. Promise me," he urged his hands heavy on her shoulders, like the weight of the words she would say next.

"But-"

"No buts. I don't give a damn if y' think we'll get separated, or if we do. Because if dat does happens I need ta know y're still out dere. I won't be able to live-not knowing," he admitted his eyes falling as he pulled his hands through his hair roughly tugging, the sensation sharp and needed to quell his frustration, to keep him from getting too out of hand.

Rogue saw how torn up he was. How his whole body was once again rigid. He loved her to the point of causing himself physical illness. She could see his body eating itself away at the thoughts of harm coming to her. She could see it written plainly in the urgent intensity of the tense muscles in his arms, and the rigid set of his jaw.

"Ah promise, Ah won't hurt mahself again. So long as ya live Remy Lebeau, Ah'll keep on livin'," she sang out, her voice ringing like a sweet bell in his ears, like a song bird's last note sung in the night.

He pulled her to his chest, breathing in her damp hair, the mixed smell of magnolias and pond water and sweat and grass. That smell burning a hole in his brain, burning through all the memories of anyone who wasn't her. She was all that mattered now. He wouldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her.


	22. Now That I've Found You

_A/N: So all of my readers are officially allowed to beat me senseless with a stick for not updating in only God knows how long and I am sincerely apologize but life is just so fucking busy and as much as I love writing for this story I've had to write so much over the passed couple of months about myself that writing about anything else is really just time consuming. I know that sounds really conceited but in fact its the most emotionally purging thing in the world and I have my creative writing class to thank for that. Anywho I'm sure you guys really don't give half a shit about my problems so here's the next installment, more updates to come over Thanksgiving and Winter break I promise, because I have a month off to just write this. _

_Oh and for those of you who are also fans of Demon Eyes at the request of a close friend I have decided to rewrite it for possible publication, don't have any idea how I'm gonna do that but I'm attempting it. And there is a possible sequel to A Dance with the Devil in the works so be on the look out for that this holiday season! :D_

_Lastly thank you to all you new reviews/ favoriters/ story alerters you kinda motivated me to get off my ass and write some Romy because those emails are like the biggest kick in the ass ever so keep doing it so I keep writing! Love yall! :D_

_-O.W._

**_Present Day-The Xavier Institute_**

Remy Lebeau was sitting in Rogue's room, his clothes and her clothes scattered about the room. Her scent permeating the air, his body aching to take up the space that she stood in. His fingertips ghosted past the belongings sitting on her dresser, the picture frames of her and a dark haired young woman with a sunny disposition that seemed to bounce straight out of the photo.

He felt like an intruder on her life. Like he didn't belong as he looked at the possessions she had now. She was never one for sparkly things or having a ridiculous amount of clothing, but he could see she had changed, she was no longer the same girl he had loved before. He still loved her though, he still wanted her, this new her, because he would always love her and that was a horribly scary thing knowing the power she held over him. Knowing she could crush him with a few words.

He was waiting for her, but somehow he found himself needing to hide. Needing to escape as if the confines of this room, this room that was spacious and filled with the objects that reminded him of her was just too much to handle. He was pulling on his clothes, covering his naked body, hadn't that been what she wanted, she wanted them to hide. She wanted them to be secret. He could ruin her life. He knew that now.

His life was already ruined. She wasn't a part of that process though, it was Bella Donna's own fault and even if Rogue had never found her way back to him Bella Donna would have still been a tramp that much he knew for sure. No his life was going to shit and the only thing he had left to grasp onto was her.

But she had so much more than him at her fingertips. She had her education, her friends, her new family and who was he, nothing but a ghost from her past. It was then, as he shouldered his trench coat on and was staring at her nightstand that had a small vase of violets and an antique lamp with a shade that cast bright colors that he noticed the wrinkled picture and the small note with scrawled intricate handwriting.

He saw the small explosions of water marks and the blotchy words that ensued because of it. He was unsure if they were his or hers.

**_Five Years Ago_**

When Rogue awoke she was cuddled up in the deep burgundy sheets feeling as heat permeated her every pore, the tough sinews shifting beneath her, inviting her to smile and think of the dreams of the night before. Gambit pulled his arm around her, his fingers playing delicately with the blades of her shoulders, the rough pads of his fingertips igniting a wry grin on Rogue's still sleeping face.

"Its not fair that ya get ta do that?" Rogue muttered through a yawn her eyes flashing open to catch his.

"It's not fair dat dis is all I can do while y' sleep de day away," he said with a sultry smile and Rogue found herself wrapped up in more than just the sheets as he swept her up and over so that her chest was pressed tightly against his.

"Well now," Rogue said with a swirl of hips that made Gambit growl. "If this is what Ah get for waking up late Ah would hate to see what ya had in mind for waking up early."

Gambit flipped their position beginning to nibble at her neck as Rogue whimpered softly in his ear. "No more talkin', or y'll get more dan y' bargained for," his voice was deep and threatening and Rogue's stomach tightened in excitement.

"Maybe Ah want more that Ah bargained for," Rogue acknowledged as her hands traveled to the tentative connection of skin between them and her delicate fingers wrapped around him.

Gambit's eyes blazed and she smiled up at him as he took control and spread her completely bare before him readying himself to delve into her, to fill her and he needed to because god she drove him insane and he needed to show her just to what depths his insanity went because of her.

And as he readied himself, as they were just connected in that sweet seductive way, there were three urgent loud knocks at his door.

Gambit growled in frustration as he turned to face the dark double doors of his bedroom listening once more as there were another set of three knocks. Rogue's face blanched and then turned the shade of the sheets she was supposed to be wrapped up in. Gambit being ever the realist stood up with no shame, fully starkly ridiculously naked and strode much too quickly for Rogue's liking towards the door throwing it open in fury.

"What merde is it dat y' need ta be-" Gambit began to screech before his words fell.

"I apologize for de inconvenience sir, mais y' brother wished for me ta inform y' dat y' father, de great Patriarch of Thieves, Jean-Luc Lebeau has arrived and is requesting yours and Ms. Darkholme-Lensherr's presence at brunch which will be served in de next twenty minutes," the servant recited all the while staring directly into Gambit's eyes.

Gambit slammed the door in the servant's face and rushed to the bathroom, leaving Rogue with sheets wrapped around her chest for protection, a expression of slack-jawed dumbfoundment on her face.

Gambit poked his head out from bathroom as Rogue still in a daze stared back at him with a towel wrapped around his waist and a toothbrush sticking out from between his teeth.

"Chere come on, get going we got like ten minutes ta get ta brunch!" and then he disappeared back into the bathroom.

Rogue rushed into the doors with the sheet still wrapped around her and went straight for the shower, throwing the nozzle downward to start the warm spray of water before Gambit pushed it back upward as he jumped into a pair of black slacks.

"Non, no time chere, y' just gotta get dressed, we don't have de time!" he hurried back towards the closet to grab a light blue button down shirt.

"SWAMP RAT AH AM NOT MEETING YA FATHER SMELLING LIKE A DIRTY BAYOU POND A-AN-AN!" Rogue shouted back to him her arms crossed in front of her and her hip jutted, the sheet flowing down from her body in tantalizing ways, creating waves of burgundy.

"Smelling like what cherie?" Gambit asked with a waggle of his eyebrows, his voice like a burning ember in her stomach as he slowly sauntered over like a predator, his eyes glinting.

Rogue rolled her eyes at him and turned away, giving him a glimpse of her bare back and the way the flesh was exposed to him, the way her spine and shoulder blades rippled lightly against her alabaster skin. She was driving him insane at a time when they couldn't spare a damn moment.

"Ya damn well know what, y'-" Rogue craned her head over her shoulder spitting fire from her lips as his hands held her close by her lower abdomen, his hands venturing lower as he brought her lips to his in that delectable way that made her thighs press together.

He pushed his body against hers so that the exposed skin of his chest met that of her back and she could feel the buckle of his belt and the distinct stiffness just below. The buttons of his shirt left forgotten rubbing lightly against Rogue's arms as Gambit's tongue fondled her own, his teeth nibbling at her lips like candy.

She felt him warm perfectly against her before the rush of cold as his lips were no longer on her own and her eyes opened with a flash of frustration as she saw his smiling face and the bright crimson light in his eyes as he began to button his white shirt up with one hand and gently pull at her sheets with the other.

"We gotta go, ma Roguey. My father is a stickler fo' punctuality," his breath flooded past her earlobe as he went back to the closet and left Rogue flustered.

She padded along behind him fuming. She was going to get him back for this later. She was going to make him regret being such a damn tease all the time.

"What the hell am Ah suppose' ta wear anyhow, hmm? It's not like Ah packed anythin' fo' meetin' such _impressive_ people," Rogue spat at him as she began to ruffle through her belongings in the drawers in front of her as Gambit laced his dress shoes.

He clicked his tongue cheekily at her as he finished up and walked to the back of thecloset opening a small door Rogue followed behind with her neck craned out in front of her noticing as he opened a closet full of semi formal day dresses that flowed into full length expensive designer evening gowns.

"Should Ah be worried 'bout this?" Rogue mocked as she stared at the variety of colors and styles laid before her.

Gambit gave her a half shrug as he pulled his cuffs forward. "Figured if we be stayin' here fo' long den you'd need some proper event clothin' had one of the personal shoppers pick some things up fo' y'."

Rogue was slightly surprised as was legible by the tilting of her lips upwards and the slight twinkle added to her eyes. But she shrugged it off as she noticed the sheepish look that crossed Remy's face and the way he excused himself, brushing his fingers through his hair lightly.

She sighed, she was going to meet his father, this was a big fucking deal, she knew that much and she had no idea what to wear despite the array of choices in front of her. She settled on something simple and plain, a white dress that hung off her shoulders and cinched at her waist falling in swirls about her knees.

She spritzed herself with some perfume before scrubbing as best she could in the sink in the period of five minutes and then put on her dress attempting to tame her hair but deciding she didn't have the time and pinned the two white strands back letting her natural curls fall to her shoulders.

She came out into the lounge area to find Gambit about to yell, "CHERE-"

He turned around and smiled broadly the corners of his lips seeming to meet his ears as he walked towards her and pull her into his arms whirling her around like a child and pressing his nose to her crown.

"Y' need ta stop doin' dis ta me Roguey or we're neva gonna leave dis damn room," he said as he placed her down on the carpet and took her hand in his. Rogue's cheeks rouged and she fiddled with a piece of her hair.

"Y're nervous?" he asked putting his finger beneath her chin. Rogue nodded. Gambit pulled back a little and put his hands on her shoulders as if she was his equal, but she was so much more and he found himself cradling her to his chest once more. "Don't be, we're gonna straighten everythin' out, y'll see."

But Rogue could tell by his tone he was unsure, sure he hid it well, like he did most things but there was something in his stance, in the way he held her longer than needed, the way his heart seemed to leap out at her own. There was something sinister in the air.

She would have expected them to rush down the flights of stairs and into the formal dining room but in fact they took their time, Gambit's arm wrapped delicately around Rogue's waist as they took each step with determination, her head leaned quietly against his shoulder. She felt like they were going into war, that their bodies were going to be mangled and ravaged by the few words that slipped from between one man's mouth.

They stood outside the great double doors made of heavy dark wood waiting. They heard nothing, just their own breathing, they only felt the sweat lining the palms of their hands and running down their fingertips, joining together.

There was a distinct scuff of a chair scraping across the hardwood floor and Rogue twitched, her shoulders shuddering for a moment, not completely discernible to anyone but Gambit who felt as her grip tightened, slipping against the moisture they had created.

He squeezed her hand back, catching her eyes softly with his own, the red calm and quelled, burning embers in lush green dew stricken grass. His free hand reached for the door and turned the knob and Rogue held her breath.

Sitting with a newspaper in his hand at the head of the table, was a giant mop of curly brown hair, thinning on slightly at the crown, dingy grey at the temples. The hands holding the paper were strong and broad but had none of the grittiness of Gambit's, no, they were manicured and soft looking, as if they had been given some sort of spa treatment. The man wore a light grey tweed sport jacket and white button down from what Rogue could make out from his sleeves.

Beside him sat Tante Mattie, her posture straight and composed, her hands folded neatly in front of her, her napkin in her lap. On the other side sat, Henri wearing a dark blue sport jacket, unbuttoned, with a light grey shirt beneath it, Mercy to his right wearing a complimentary spring styled dress with thick wrapped straps and a tight bodice that showed off her curves, her blonde hair piled atop her head in an intricate bee hive.

Gambit cleared his throat, and Rogue stared at him, overcome by the fact that he would do something so rude in front of his father. The newspaper swayed for a moment and then the page moved from the right to the left as it was turned to the next section.

"Dat y' boy?" a gruff voice came from behind the newspaper.

Gambit stood a little straighter, his hand growing tighter around Rogue's as he attempted to smile back at her. Her head was buried in his neck for a moment before she got the courage to look back up at the newspaper and the jagged lines of black and white sprawled across it.

"Oui Pere, its moi…and dis be-" Gambit began gazing down at Rogue.

"Dat would be Anna Marie Darkholme-Lensherr," the voice rang out before the newspaper was set down to the left and Rogue got a good look at the great Patriarch of Theives.

Jean-Luc Lebeau had a face that could both spark fear and desire within anyone that saw it. It was easy to see where Remy Lebeau had gotten his good looks from and his attitude at that. Jean-Luc may have resembled his other son more, what with his dark brown curly hair and his bright ice blue eyes but the depths and shapes of those eyes, the prominent line of his brow and nose that jutted forth, the way his lips set between his strong jawline not quite a line but lacking a certain femininity of plumpness.

He was a sturdy looking man, who had to be at least in his sixties but who looked like he could easily pass for forty. His arms rested neatly against the edge of the table, elbows far from there, his back straight and his hand steepled like that of a great businessman. His eyes were piercing and struck Rogue like an arrow hitting an apple at a far distance. But his lips were upturned in a tight way, a way that Rogue knew immediately.

"Or should I call y' Rogue," the man asked as he gestured or Remy and Rogue to take their seats beside Tante Mattie and as if on cue the servants proceeded out of the kitchen with brunch entow.

"Whichever ya prefer sir," Rogue said with an air of confidence that caught Remy off guard. She was actually smiling.

He looked over at his son, raising an eyebrow at him and tilting his head to the left marginally. "Rogue it is den. Well Rogue, it is bon ta finally be meetin' y'. I am actually quite surprised we haven't met prior seein' as I have known y' family for quite sometime now," there was threatening air to his words, a wrought iron undertow that pulled at Rogue and Remy.

"It's a pleasure to meet ya as well Mr. Lebeau," Rogue kept her answers short fearful of what was to come.

After the cordialities, there was little left to be said a brunch, father and sons discussed the various goings on in the city itself, the women talked about the clothing they were wearing and Mercy finished her conversation with Rogue about the book she had recommended. It was odd how easily they fell into a rhythm with one another and it gnawed at Rogue deep in the back of her mind.

As the plates were cleared and napkins were dabbed at the corners of lips Jean-Luc spoke.

"Mon fil et Mademoiselle Rogue, if y' would please accompany an old man ta his study I'd be much oblidged," his request was not to be taken lightly even as he stood up with an informal air of levity, patting his barely protruding stomach. Gambit nodded and angled himself towards Rogue their eyes catching and exchanging those few simple words of hope and those last few words that they hoped they would never have to say.

The two followed the older man out of the dining room, with all its furnishing and to a small antique elevator with close cage and crank shift as it rode upward towards Jean-Luc's floor. The elevator buzzed to a stop smoothly and Jean-Luc beckoned the pair forth into his study with all its books and its massive desk, the curtained window showing a great expanse of the grounds where Rogue could almost make out the trail that lead to the sweet bayou pond.

Remy and Rogue took a seat on the couch, at first far apart from each other before, Gambit emboldened by the need to keep his love safe, pulled Rogue to his side, hanging his arm around her shoulders and Rogue found herself cuddling closer to his chest, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning her head onto his shoulder.

Jean-Luc took his seat at his desk and shuffled a few papers before regarding the couple.

"Well," he sighed. "I don't know how y' do it, mon fil, mais y' always manage ta get yourself in predicaments dat even I have ta applaud y' for."

His expression was not scolding, his eyes were crinkled at the sides by a genuinely amused smirk and Rogue felt the tension release in her chest just a little bit.

"So, mon question ta y' two is what y' expect moi ta do 'bout dis here…what word should I use dat would not offend…_affair_ y' two are havin'?"

"Nothin'. If this affects ya adversely in anyway Mr. Lebeau we do not want ta subject ya to it," Rogue said with determination,never leaving her position but holding an expression of straight business.

Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows cradled his chin between his thumb and forefinger. Gambit was floored by her outburst. This was his father after all. But there was something about her attitude that was getting to him deep inside his gut. She was right.

"We came home ta resupply, mais if we cannot stay here Pere, we will be on our way in de mornin'," Gambit continued for Rogue.

Jean-Luc scoffed. "Now aren't y' two prepared. Mais dat's not what I meant. Rogue, me and y' father have been on good terms for a very long time, mais as of late he has made certain decisions regarding not only our business affairs but his home life dat I find myself disagreeing wit."

"What I am gettin' at is, I do not agree wit y' runnin' away from home, but seein' as it is still summer and school I presume does not resume for at least another month or so, I will let y' stay in de mansion wit Remy for de remainder of August, a total of two weeks.

"After dat, mon fil," he eyed Remy fiercely. "Will begin his training in de Paris headquarters of de guild and y' ma cherie will be on y' way back home. Dose are ma terms, mais know dis if y' do not agree and in fact find ulterior plans I will not hesitate to disclose where y' are ta y' father."

A chill ran through Rogue's body and she clutched at Gambit's chest, desperate for warmth that she could not find within him. His body was rigid and tense and she could feel the ice that seemed to engulf him as the heat from his body made its way to his scarlet irises.

"Is dat all?" Gambit responded through clenched teeth.

Jean-Luc went back to the paper work on his table disregarding them. "Oui."

The couple sat for a moment before Gambit strangled Rogue's wrist in his hand and yanked her from the room, zooming up the steps to his bedroom.

He slammed the door as Rogue spun around to face him. "Remy what does this mean?" her eyes filling with tears.

She couldn't hear his response, his lips were welded to hers in that second and they fell against the slick silk of the chaise lounge, Gambit pulling his body deep into hers as he swallowed her fears and her hopes and drank her down completely. Rogue whimpered in protest at first but couldn't stop herself from being consumed by his fire, this may be one of the last times she could feel it so close, so deep within her, as his fingers tugged at the fabric pooled around her knees and yanking it upward.

She wanted to remember him just like this and he wanted to remember her just like this. Because nothing was promised tomorrow.


	23. How Could You Know?

**__**A/N: Another update feels like its been so long but I still wanna thank all of you your amazing reviewers and readers and I feel like shit for not giving you what we both want, the rest of this story. So here's a little more and hopefully there will be a bit more soon. It's a little short for my present standards but its more of a connecting chapter so be gentle :)

**_Present Day- The Xavier Institute_**

Rogue was waltzing her way back down the hallway, her head buzzing with thoughts and inclinations and what had to be and what was said and what she was supposed to do and what she wanted to do and what she was expected to do.

Wasn't this her life, wasn't this her choice. Because it still felt like she was a child and everyone else was pushing, pursuing the ways in which to get at her, pursuing herself. What was she supposed to do? Be with the man she had loved with the whole of her being since the day she turned sixteen or live a lie? A lie that as wonderful before he came along. A lie that had helped put her back together when she was broken and living in a dream state of what was.

She wanted with all the possibilities of want to love him more, to live with him but it seemed that there was always something in the way. She clutched her arms to her chest, tight, tighter her ribs crushed from the pressure but the pain felt good, it felt right. The hallway felt long and short, it felt like an eternity before that door but it also felt like she had somehow teleported in front of it.

Her breathing slowed, she sucked in one, then another and tried to think of what she was supposed to say, of what she really wanted. Selfish. She wanted to be selfish. But what did that even mean?

**_Five Years Ago_**

Rogue laid on top of Gambit's arm her head nestled between his chest and bicep her fingers playing with his feeling the weight of his arm wrapped around her. What she would give to feel the weight of him around her, within her, on her for the rest of her life. To feel the heat of his body permeating her skin drowning her in this bliss that she had never before felt. To live with him by her side making sexual innuendos and getting her flustered and brooding and knowing that she was the only person who with the touch of her lips could undo such sulking, could make him know that she loved him.

Two weeks.

Days 1- 6

They spent in bed.

Day 7

They spent wrapped in each others arms.

Day 8

They spent at the pond listening to their beating hearts and the sweet melody of bayou frogs in the night.

Day 9

They spent walking the ground, sitting in the great big oak tree, making love beneath the stars.

Day 10

They spent played music and danced to the slow croon of Ella Fitzgerald holding each other as close as humanly possible.

Days 11- 13

They spent in the city underneath the neon lights trying to embolden their spirits with the raucous of New Orleans.

**_Day 14_**

On the last day Rogue clutched to the exposed skin of Remy's chest, tears streaking down her face as she shook in her slumber. He didn't want to wake her. He knew whatever nightmare she was having was nothing in comparison to the nightmare she would wake up to, the reality of the separation was no longer on the horizon it was present, it was standing in front of them or would be in the next few hours.

He stroked her head, feeling the silky texture of her hair run smooth over his grainy fingertips smelling the soft magnolia scent of her skin. All the small nuances that were her, the small mole above her left clavicle, the dimples at the small of her back, the way she would bite her lips, the small creases from her crinkling toes, the scars the ran across her left arm.

How many times had he kissed them in the past days? How many times had he fought sleep just to see her for however little time was left? How many times when in a crowded room when she couldn't bare to look at him, when she was overcome with the reality of their parting had he tried to memorize every perfection every flaw everything that made her real? His blood eyes burning the memory of her into him, beneath his skin, underneath his fingertips, nestled sweetly away in his arms.

He felt the gentle tug of her weight as her breathing mellowed and then her eyelids quivering, pulling apart to reveal her glimmering green eyes still wet like dew on a blade of grass. She licked her lips never moving just vibrating closer to Remy with the whole of her being. He craned down and suckled her tears from her eyes, kissing her nose down to her lips. Chaste. No more fervor. No heat. Just love. A undying love.

"I will love you Anna Marie, forever, even when I pass inta de next life, I will always love y'," he whispered against her forehead.

Rogue sobbed quietly, her throat constricting around the words she wished, craved to say. "Ah-Ah," a sob ripped through her chest. "Ah will love ya Remy Lebeau til the last days of this earth and beyond."

She fell into his chest, her arms trembling around his neck as they embraced for the last time.

They sat up and went to get ready. They showered, groomed. Rogue took a minute longer getting ready. Remy gazed as she dressed.

She put on a simple green dress, sweetheart cut that fell to her knees and cinched at her waist it was one of the dresses he had bought for her. She pinned her bangs back and let her hair run wild down her shoulders. She knew how much he liked it like that.

Just as Rogue finished with her mascara there was a light rap on the door and Gambit went to answer. Standing in the doorway was Henri a glum expression plastered on his face as he pulled Remy into a deep hug. Gambit didn't cry. Not now. Not in front of his brother, or anyone else for that matter. He was completely empty aside from his love for her.

"Everyone's waitin' downstairs fo' y' two fo' brunch," Henri said as he pat his brother on the back, straightening out and pushing his hair back as he released the younger Lebeau.

Gambit nodded and looked to the open doorway of his bedroom, Rogue leaning against it, her legs crossed smiling with her eyes filled with tears. She tried a sultry smirk and he exhaled from his nostrils in amusement smiling back at her as best he could.

But the picture faded as she stood up and he could see her hands and arms tremble again and her eyes downcast. Her fingers ghosted between his and the connection between them was soft and light like a feather dancing through the wind, waiting for the moment when it falls back to the dirty ground.

They sat beside each other at brunch, the entire table quiet, mourning. Tante Mattie continued to glare at Jean-Luc the entire way through and Mercy had to excuse herself because she had begun to sob. She clasped Rogue around the neck kissing her cheek as she exited.

The servants gathered their packed belongings and they were waiting at the stairs when they finished brunch although neither had eaten. Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie and Henri followed as they trudged out to the front lawn.

"Can we 'ave a moment Pere?" Remy gritted out, Rogue's hand still in his, tentatively.

"Oui," Jean-Luc replied somberly. "We'll give you some privacy."

Remy and Rogue strolled near the oak tree as he pulled his body behind hers capturing her other hand leaning his weight against her just to feel as close to her as possible.

"This isn't the end," he whispered into her ear. "I will come fo' y'."

"You'll be in Paris and Ah'll be back there…with them…how?"

"I'll find a way, I always do," he kissed her temple. "I found a way ta steal y' heart didn't I."

She couldn't help but smile back at him then.

"Patience, Ah never was good with that. But fo' you Ah'll wait," she turned pressing her lips against his.

"I love you Anna Marie."

"I love you Remy Lebeau, my Swamp Rat."

"Mon belle River Rat."

Tante Mattie approached Henri not far behind. "Y' two get over here and give an ol' lady a proper good bye."

They chuckled wiping the tears they hadn't noticed fall. She walked up to them with open arms before Henri interrupted.

"Ah Ah wait Tante one thing first," he said pushing past her.

"Boy whaddya mean wait, I'm seventy six years ol' I've done plenty of waitin' I'm not waitin' any longer, I want ta say goodbye ta my future niece."

Rogue tried not to cry at those words. She would be back here one day. Remy had promised her. And so was Tante Mattie and if there were any two people in the world who she trusted it was them.

"Just a second Tante, I think they'll both need this," Henri said pulling a camera from behind his back. "Me and mercy thought it would make it a lil easier, non."

Remy smirked and closed his eyes subtly pulling Rogue back into his chest. "Smile chere," he said quietly the somberness burried deep within.

"Fo' ya always," she said kissing his cheek as the camera flashed.

"One more," Henri declared as he shook the polaroid to develop handing the picture to Tante to hold as he took another.

Remy wrapped his arms around Rogue's waist, she smiled her full lips pressed tightly into a grin. Remy's hair fell in to his eyes and then click it was over. Rogue spun and brushed past his shaggy strands kissing him one last time.

"Now can I say goodbye, Henri Lebeau," Tante Mattie asked.

"Je suis desole Tante."

Tante Mattie glared at him for a moment before she stepped forward arms once again open, cradling Rogue into her soft folds.

Rogue felt safe with her again, felt home like she did with Remy, with Henri and Mercy and even with Jean-Luc to a degree. They were her family. The true one; the real one.

The hug was short lived. Tante Mattie pulled back after a few seconds and regarded Rogue with a long quizzical look, her hands still placed firmly on the girl's small back. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, her dark brown eyes just dove into Rogue asking questions that she couldn't possibly answer.

"Tante?" Remy asked coming closer to the elderly woman.

Her eyes darted to Remy, hardening for a second before she began to smile her hands slipping to Rogue's stomach, pressing lightly to the lower half.

"Tante is there something wrong?" Remy asked as Rogue looked to him with worried eyes. She felt as if she was being examined because she had some sort of disease of because she was being fattened up for slaughter.

Tante's eyes brightened as she stared down at Rogue's stomach, her hands holding it as if it was orb like and not flat as it was, cradling it. She grinned back at her nephew.

"Boy y' in big trouble," Tante chuckled as she continued to hold Rogue's stomach kneeling down.

Her face was inches from Rogue's stomach before she pressed an ear lightly to the bright green fabric of her dress.

"What do y'-" Remy began to ask as Rogue searched for the answer from him.

"Rem what is she-" they exchanged panicked glances and from the distance they could see Jean- Luc jogging towards them.

"Tante! It's impossible!" he exclaimed out of breath as he reached the group, Henri's camera dangling in his hands as his face fell shock.

"How y' doin' dere lil one," Tante crooned.

"Ah'm not doin' well Tante but Ah don't need y' ta rub my belly ta make me feel better Ah don't have stomach pains, its much-" Rogue began to explain still utterly confused. Remy's hand flew to his face as he was hit with the what this meant and him and Henri looked at one another, Henri smirking as Remy's red eyes widened and burned, flamed.

"I wasn't talkin' ta y' Rogue, I was talkin' ta y' and Remy's fil or fille," Tante beamed up at her.

Rogue's face ballooned and she spurted. "Wait what? How could you- Ah mean Ah can't be-"

Her eyes caught Remy's and they both blanched.

"Ah'm-" Rogue questioned.

"Your-" the Lebeaus confounded.

"Pregnant," they all resounded.


	24. Did You Really Just Say That

**A/N: So I promised everyone that I would update over break and that's what I'm doing. I plan on hopefully finishing this in the next month or so, but that is all up to plans and how my time works out so don't quote me on that but definitely stayed tuned for more updates throughout December and some of January. And of course thank you for all your support with reviews and favorites and alerts and all that jazz I love ya'll so much. 33333 :D**

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><p><em><strong>Present Day- The Xavier Institute<strong>_

Rogue's hand turned the knob and cracked the door open. Her heart plummeted to like a bowling ball to the floor. She should've known, should've known better than to expect him to stay. She entered the room, her room, and saw the way the light fragmented and broken played through the swaying curtains, the sun attempting to break its way free and into the dark room.

She wrapped her arms around herself. She should've known. She willed herself, steeled herself over. This was supposed to be their last night after all, she had told him to leave time and time again. So why did it hurt so much, why did it feel like he had betrayed her and left her bleeding?

She stepped forward towards the rippling curtains and the sun poking through the gap and glimpsed the golden green of the ground beneath her balcony. The tears she was letting fall felt like weights that she was trying to shed but she knew that they were just replaced, replaced by that ever present love for a man she could never fully have. A man she would not allow herself to have.

She squeezed through the small gap in the curtains and stepped out on to the balcony welcoming the small heat wave that brushed past her skin and the light breeze that cooled the tiny rivers of tears on her cheeks.

She closed her eyes and watched the flickering dots of light dance across her eyelids and felt the small wash of the breeze on her skin. She wished she was home. The one place she could really calm home, the place that even in all extravagance held more heart in its wooden floors and velvet draped furniture than anywhere she had ever been before. She smelt the tones of cinnamon and mist as if she was there at this moment, she felt the warmth of that place on her as if it was enfolding her in its embrace.

But she was so far away. So far away from the first place she had ever felt like she had belonged.

"Ah miss you, you and everythin' that you gave me jus' by loving me," she whispered wishing that her words could float on the breeze, find a way to make it to him somehow.

"Y' don't have to," the breeze whispered back.

Rogue opened her eyes and saw a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder, looking up into his face and the tears that had stained his cheeks. She felt the leather of his trench ripple in the wind around them and listened to its distinct sound it made, like the flapping of wings.

"Ah wanna go back," she confessed.

"We can go back whenever y' want. I'll go wherever y' want me to. I'll do whatever y' tell me to. Because I know I'm not the only one here. I'm not the only heart left broken."

Rogue spun halfway around, rotated slowly in his arms. He hadn't lost his convictions but something had changed. She could see it in his eyes. She could see how everything in his world seemed altered just from the way his eyes regarded her like liquid lava burning but fluid, moving, compromising.

"What's changed? What's changed your mind?" her hand held his cheek felt the soft scratch of his stubble.

He moved into her hand his eyes closing for a moment at the feeling of her skin against his. It was something that would never lose its novelty, he knew that for certain.

"You've changed, and not in de way I had thought. You're so much more than I could ever be chere, I've always known dat. Mais I won't make y' sacrifice y' life fo' moi. I already made y' do dat once. It's mon turn ta take de bullet. It's my turn ta be de martyr."

Somehow his words made everything make sense. Made everything seem certain. Made all the things he had been telling her all along, ever since that damn day in the mall seem that much more true. He was willing to be there for her once again but more so than ever before.

"I love y' Anna Marie and I'll do anythin ta make sure that I never have to go a day without y' in my arms again."

Rogue didn't know what to say.

_**Five Years Ago**_

Rogue really didn't know what to say. She had absolutely no words left in her thick skull to respond to anything that anyone was saying around her. She was just sitting slack jawed in the main living room of the Lebeau mansion with her feet up on an ottoman and Tante Mattie rubbing God knows what on her stomach as the rest of the household went about having a nervous breakdown.

"How could y' be so irresponsible Remy!" Jean-Luc yelled.

Gambit was sitting with his head in his hands a blank look on his face, his red and black eyes for the first time in his life listlessly lolling about in his head like marbles in a cup.

Henri was sitting on the opposite couch with an amused grin on his face, his arms spread across the top of the couch. Mercy was pacing back and forth biting her nails and trying to send Rogue reassuring smiles at every turn of her foot but the best she could muster was the a twitch of her lips.

"He wasn't tryin' to be irresponsible pere, he was tryin' ta get laid," Henri mused. Mercy slapped him upside the head.

"Henri Lebeau!" she scolded pointing her eyes to Rogue and then back at him.

Rogue shrunk into the wingback chair as Tante kept rubbing her stomach and muttering something in some language she couldn't recognize.

"What, its de truth, Mercy. Mon frere only thinks with his-"

"That's enough Henri," Jean-Luc yelled turning to his firstborn. He pulled a hand down his face. "What on Dieu's green earth are we gonna do now, huh Remy?"

Gambit continued to analyze the different colors of thread in the Persian rug set on the floor of the living room.

"Um not ta sound crazy or anythin' but how is it that we're so sure Ah'm-Ah'm, ya know…pregnant?" Rogue asked meekly as Tante's head popped up and a wide grin spread across her face.

"Because chil' since I was sixteen which was de same time dat Jean-Luc's mere was with chil', I have been able ta predict the birth of every Lebeau chil' including but no limited ta Jean-Luc, Henri, and Remy."

"But I haven't even missed my period or anythin' like that," Rogue protested starting to sit up from the chair.

Tante pressed her hand to Rogue's stomach with a little more force and used her other hand to press Rogue's shoulder back into the chair, a stern look crossing her face as she did so.

"Wrong chere," Gambit finally spoke up, his eyes never lifting from the rug beneath their gaze.

Rogue's eyes widened.

"We left fromt y' house exactly a month and trois days ago, so unless y' managed ta have y' period without moi knowin' it den your-" Gambit gulped and leaned back so that his head hung over the back of the couch.

Rogue blanched and began counting the days back to when her last period was. The twenty- no was it- the four- there was no way. It couldn't have been that long. It just, couldn't.

"So Ah'm- pregnant," Rogue whispered to herself.

She had been disbelieving all along. Sure she and Remy had had a lot of sex in the past couple of weeks, a lot. And the majority of it, hell all of it was unprotected. God how could she be so stupid. She knew this is how things worked in the world. You don't use protection and you wind up with a baby. But it just didn't seem to register with her.

She started to cry, to weep like a little fucking baby. And that made her cry more because she was going to have to deal with a crying child, in nine months. In nine months, two before her seventeenth birthday she would be mother to a real life, tiny breathing infant. A boy or girl with red and black eyes and auburn white streaked hair.

And for some reason that thought seemed to comfort her, even after she felt his steeled sinews wrap around her and his lips shush her as they kissed the top of her head.

"Ssshhhh, chere, its all gonna be alright, we're gonna get through dis, I promise," he whispered into her crown.

"And what do y' exactly plan on doin' huh boy? Do y' think dat your fit ta be a pere as is, when y' can't even remember ta wrap up y' damn Johnson, when y' take a sixteen year old baby herself away from her home?" Jean-Luc spewed.

"Shut de fuck up Jean-Luc!" Remy bellowed. The room fell silent

All around him everyone stopped. Mercy stopped pacing, Henri stopped chuckling, Tante stopped rubbing Rogue's belly, Jean-Luc stopped moving, Rogue stopped crying, Remy stopped breathing. Everything stilled.

Remy took a deep breath, he couldn't believe the words that had fallen out of his mouth but he knew he needed to say them.

"Look I know I fucked up, pere. But goddamnit I don't regret a damn thing. I love Rogue, love her more dan mon life and yeah we were stupid and we didn't think of de consequences of the things we were doin' mais I know damn well dat I'll make a good pere, because if I was raised half as good as I think I was I know when ta do the right thing. And the right thing was to steal da _sixteen year old girl_ from a hell hole dat she called home and da right thing will be ta take care of dis bebe because its mine, I made it and I am responsible fo' it."

Jean-Luc stood stock still. In all his years he had never heard his son speak that way. No just to him but at all. Remy had been a tough kid growing up, he had learned things the hard way, always the hard way. But that just meant he was set in his convictions even more. And Jean-Luc respected his son for that because he worked harder, trained harder than anyone because of it.

He no longer saw the boy who would run away from his problems or rebel against authority just for fuck's sake. No, his son was rebel at heart but he did it to prove everyone wrong, to show that the runt of the litter was the strongest of the pack. Sitting before him was a man willing not only to admit his mistakes but rectify them. And Jean-Luc had nothing but respect for his son.

Jean-Luc sighed and ran his hand through his hair, leaning his other hand on his waist.

"D'accord, d'accord. We have some things we gonna need ta get in order. And first and foremost I'm sorry ma chere Rogue mais we gonna have ta tell y' parents."

"What-No- We can't they'll literally murder Remy and me when their done with!" Rogue protested.

Jean-Luc shook his head and looked at Rogue with pleading brown eyes. It was the first time she had ever seen him look so defeated.

"Dere's nothin' we can do cherie. Remy is nineteen and y' be sixteen. Dat's statutory rape in California and he could be doin' jail time because of y' little tryst. So we need ta get Erik and Raven on board lest y' bebe grow up without a pere," he convinced.

Rogue grew quiet. It felt as if all reality was falling down around her, collapsing like dominoes and spiraling in a chain effect. She thought losing Remy was hard enough, was the worst thing she could possibly imagine. But then there was this. Everything had just been magnified ten fold.

"And what happens if dey don't agree ta consent pere? What happens if dey use dis as a way ta hold somethin' over our heads?" Henri rang in.

He looked over at Rogue and apologized. "I'm sorry Rogue mais y' parents have never been ones ta give us any leeway."

Rogue nodded. "Trust me Ah understand completely. Jean-Luc y' have ta be careful. They will use this against ya but they also won't let it go if ya try to negotiate with them."

"What would y' have me do, Rogue?" Jean-Luc asked with genuine interest.

It caught Rogue off guard. She realized that not only was Jean-Luc's business at stake but also his family. If things went south with her parents he would be losing a son and she would be losing her best friend, her lover and the father of her unborn child. There was more riding on this than she would care to acknowledge.

Tante began chanting a little louder before quieting and wringing her hands together lightly.

"Jean-Luc we must not disrupt de peace dat dis chil' was conceived in. We must continue ta fill de gustation wit calm and tranquility."

"Well dat might be a lil difficult Tante," Henri commented.

"Henri Lebeau, I swear I will refuse ta be y' fiancé if y' keep sayin' merde like dat," Mercy yelled slapping her fiance upside the head once more.

Henri's cheeks burned with embarrassment and his brown eyes swam with guilt and regret. "Je suis desole, Mercy."

"Don't apologize ta moi, apologize ta dem," Mercy stated pointing to Rogue and Gambit who were busy having a side conversation of their own.

"I'm not gonna leave y' I promise," Remy whispered as he held her face close to his.

"But ya can't promise that. They're gonna send ya away I just know it, they're gonna make y'…" Rogue sobbed.

"Sssshhhh, ma amour, sssshhh. I'm not goin' anywhere. Not even death could take moi away from y'." Remy kissed Rogue's forehead and then her lips quieting her for a moment.

"Frere, Rogue. I am truly sorry for what I have said. It is just not everyday dat mon brother makes me proud and disappointed in one day," Henri claimed.

Remy's head popped up. "Proud?"

It was the last thing he was expecting to hear out of anyone's mouth today. Everyone had pretty much prosecuted him from the moment Tante's lips formed the word 'pregnant'.

"Oui, y' saved a belle dame from a unloving home and brought her ta a place filled wit love, love enough ta share wit her and y' owned up ta y' mistakes and are willing ta be a pere ta a chil' even though y' still one y'self. So yes frerot, I'm proud ta say dat y' are mon brother because y' have grown into quite a homme."

Remy was floored and with that Henri stood up and took Mercy's hand and began to leave the room. "I think dat the rest of this matter is ta be resolved amongst y'."

Remy spoke out, "Henri!"

Henri turned as he reached the doorway to the hall, "Oui frere."

"Merci et je t'aime."

"Je t'aime aussi, frerote," and he and Mercy left the room.

Remy laid his head on Rogue shoulder and she stroked his hair. Thye were both beyond belief exhausted. Tante joined Jean-Luc in the middle of the living room guiding him to the loveseat and making him sit down.

"Tante what am I gonna do?" he asked rubbing his temples as he stared at the two young people embracing each other in front of him.

Tante clicked her tongue. "What are _we_ gonna do, Jean-Luc?"

"Desole, what are we gonna do?"

"We are gonna do what we always do, Jean-Luc. Survive. We gonna make it ta de next day and de day after dat and keep livin' and keep lovin'."

Jean-Luc sighed and nodded. "Oui, we will won't we."

Remy began to pick up Rogue and her body slumped in his arms, her eyes closed tight and the remnants of tears glistening at the edges of her eyes and cheeks. He looked over at his father and the tired beat down look that seemed to emanate from his bones. He smiled at Remy for a moment and Remy did his best to smile back but he knew all that came from it was more tears. He had disappointed his father yet again. But not anymore. He'd make this right, if it was the last thing he did, he'd find a way to make this right.

Remy cradled Rogue to him as he took each flight of stairs with care, feeling her breath against his skin and knowing that it wasn't just hers anymore, it was theirs, it was the mixing and forming of something new, of something they had created living within her. And for the first time that day Remy felt right. Felt that maybe everything would be okay.

He laid Rogue down on their bed, it would be theirs from now on. All of it he would share with her, all of it he would give to her willingly, just as she had given him her body, had made it a vessel for something greater than the both of them.

He had thought earlier of his own stupidity. How could he have forgotten something as simple as a rubber? He'd been having sex for how long now and that was rule number one. But then he realized with Rogue everything was different, it had always been. Maybe he hadn't made the conscious decision to not wear a condom but he realized that maybe he didn't want to deep down, because part of him wanted to be as naked as she had been for him. Part of him wanted to be new and fresh and feel everything that she had to offer. And he knew now that that made him selfish, but she knew too, she knew what they were doing and she never stopped him.

And now they had this beautiful thing between them. Remy's fingers ghosted across Rogue's stomach, feather light. Just beneath her skin, somewhere within her there was proof of their connection of their love. Living, breathing proof.

"Hello dere little one," Remy whispered as he curled up beside Rogue, his head by her stomach.

"I know dat y' probably aren't anywhere near big enough ta be felt or ta kick or anythin' and dat y' probably just a bunch o' cells and whatever, mais…" Remy let out a deep breath. He didn't know what he was doing.

He held his hand against Rogue's stomach. "Mais y' mine, y' mon bebe and je t'aime just like je t'aime your mere. And I hope ta Dieu dat I get ta meet y'."

A small hand covered Remy's and his eyes flitted upward to catch Rogue's emerald ones staring back at him, a serene, dreamy smile set on her lips. "Ya will, we both will."

"I'm not gonna lie I'm scared chere," Remy sighed looking back at his hand and how it sat on Rogue's stomach.

She cradled his head brushing his hair back. "Me too, Swamp Rat."

"I love y' and dat's all that matters right?" Remy asked his red eyes burning, like lava.

Rogue tried to hold back her tears. "Yeah that's all that matters, that we love each other."

Remy shifted closer to her placing his arm over her hip and his head beside her stomach closing his eyes and kissing it before he fell asleep. Rogue cried. Everything was so perfect and yet it wasn't. How was that possible?


	25. Can't Help Myself

**A/N: Okay so I wanted to delve back into Rogue and Bobby's relationship and show the contrast between that and the relationship she has with Remy so that's where this chapter came from. This is all Present Day so keep that in mind.**

**And this is a two part update so get excited for the story to continue! :D**

**Thank you again for your support, it is much loved and appreciated.**

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><p><em><strong>Present Day- The Xavier Institute<strong>_

The sun was shining brightly overhead as Remy held Rogue in his arms, braced against the banister of the balcony watching the trees sway in the light breeze below. The grounds were empty of all students which Rogue knew to be odd especially on such a nice day as this when the sun was out. But she didn't really care, all she was worried about was the fact that someone loved her and she could feel it, could feel the warmth of it blossoming forth from within her chest like a dormant flower budding for another season.

The time had seemed to have gotten away from the two of them and despite wanting to spend the rest of their lives in that infinite moment of solitude and placidity there were other things that needed to be tended to.

Rogue turned to face Gambit once more resting her hands on his firm jaw pulling his lips to hers nibbling at his bottom lip playfully. She gently tugged away from him, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck as they began to sway.

"Ah need ta go to class soon," Rogue whispered as they stepped this way and that in slow rhythm to the wind.

Gambit tried to act as if he didn't pull away from her slightly, as if there wasn't a sudden pulsating ache within him to smother her to his chest and never let her go but he knew there was. Deep within his muscles there was this need to clutch her closer to him. He settled for slackening his grip around her waist, leaving his hands to trail there, rubbing her hips with his thumbs.

"D'accord," he said pulling his hand through his hair and looking past her at the grounds, leaving her altogether behind as he leaned with all his weight on his arms against the banister facing her.

He regarded her with squinted eyes as the sun assaulted them and in the light she looked ethereal, brighter than the sun, holding herself close in her arms, her hair hanging about her shoulders in messy strands, her white streaks framing her jawline.

"I'll be havin' ta take care of some things anyways," he said as she started to lean in the doorway watching how his ankles crossed in front of him and the way his hair blew in the breeze across his eyes.

"Oh?" Rogue asked genuinely interested. As much as she didn't want to leave, she wanted him to leave even less.

"Oui," Gambit stated walking towards her once more and shrugging off his trench coat only to place it around Rogue's shoulders.

She nestled into it unconsciously, overcome with his simple scent that radiated from the warm, pliable leather. She pushed her arms through the sleeves and into the pockets fumbling with his deck of cards and half smoked pack of cigarettes. He hung on her shoulder, his chin jutting into her collarbone as he spoke again.

"Broke mon cell last night, which means dat Etienne is probably thinkin' I'm dead in a ditch somewhere. It'd be best fo' everyone if I dropped in and showed mon pretty face don't y' think?" he smiled and Rogue chuckled.

"Yeah, Ah guess," she pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Besides, Ah have class and a paper due that Ah'm not nearly close enough ta finishing."

She began to walk towards her desk, shuffling around some papers and things as if she was getting ready to sit down and work, or put it all in her knapsack to leave to class. Gambit leaned against her fourposter bed.

"So how 'bout y' meet moi and Etienne for dinner tonight?" he suggested lightly as she began to put her binder into her bag.

Her head popped up and her eyes lit up. She was unsure why but this small gesture seemed all the more solidifying. How long had it been since she had seen any member of his family? How had she longed to see their pleasant faces and hear their playful banter? How long had she dreamt of being in their good graces once more? She pulled the fabric of the trench closer to her.

"Ya think that's a good idea," she half whispered to herself.

Gambit shrugged. "Don't really care, do y'?" Rogue's eyes widened but she could do little to hide the smirk ghosting past her lips. "'Sides it's Etienne, not like he gonna say anythin'."

Rogue quirked her eyebrows,"True."

"D'accord," Gambit said as he planted a kiss on Rogue's forehead searing her skin with his intent. "I'll see y' tonight den, and don't think y'll get away wit not showin' up 'cause I will come after y' fo' mon coat."

He muttered with a wink as he disappeared out past the curtains and onto the balcony where Rogue was certain he shimmied his way down the ivy climbing the walls and onto the deserted lawn. She found herself watching the area just outside her window where the patch of grass met the trees and seeing his bobbing auburn hair and slim lithe body jog and vanish into the dark green mass. She smiled to herself as she shouldered her bag and left for class, not even bothering to take off his trench.

She arrived for her Physics class fifteen minutes early, pulling out her notes from the lecture she last attended almost three weeks ago and trying to refresh herself with kinetics as best she could. As her eyes flitted across the page and her brow furrowed the door opened and closed quietly and there was a shuffling of papers in front of her. Rogue's eyes caught the small bald head in front of her and the beaming blue eyes that held her own.

"Its good to see you back Anna, how have you been, if I may inquire?" Professor Xavier asked his attention fully on her.

Rogue's cheeks burned and she wanted desperately to hide the feelings that she felt were radiating from her eyes and the small ticks of her fingers that she was trying to control. She cast her eyes downward and flipped through her notes, putting a pencil behind her ear.

"Better," she finally said catching the Professor's eyes for a moment.

His lips turned up in a serene smile and he nodded to her, "Good to hear," he spoke quietly as he began to write on the chalk board behind him.

The rest of the class soon entered including Bobby who walked in with his arm around Tabby, whispering into her ear before he took stock of Rogue sitting nonchalantly in the front row talking somewhat animatedly with Kitty about what she had missed under the guidance of Professor Xavier who threw in a couple of comments here and there as he continued to write formulas.

Bobby's hand immediately fell from Tabby's shoulder and she scoffed in irritation.

"What's the deal?" Tabby asked her eyes boring into Bobby's skull.

"Are you blind Tabitha," he scorned. "Rogue's sitting right over there."

"As if that's stopped you before," she threw over her shoulder clutching her books closer to her chest as she huffed off to a seat near Sam.

Bobby rolled his eyes and adjusted his backpack as he walked down the steps of the lecture room to the front row where Rogue and Kitty were sitting. They had just finished their conversation when Bobby walked up and plopped down into the seat on the other side of Rogue laying his head in her lap and looking up at her with bright blue eyes and a smile full of dazzling white teeth.

Rogue was shocked at first when she felt a sudden weight in her lap and then when she saw the cheeseball face that Bobby was trying to give her and that it was him sitting in her lap and not who she wished it was. She had to do all that was in her power for her stomach not to churn full of acid and spew all over that smug smirk her had on his face.

"Hiya babe," he crooned as he twitched his lips up into a bigger grin.

Rogue tried not to roll her eyes, "Hey."

"So where ya been? I was looking for you after that whole thing with Logan but couldn't find you anywhere," he continued to gaze up at her as Rogue stared forward at the board.

"Must not have been lookin' very hard then," Rogue replied in her best attempt to sound polite and playful. She was sure she sounded like some had just told her they shot her puppy.

Bobby fiddled with her sleeve and then noticed the scent of cigarettes and cinnamon. It bugged him for some reason as if he had smelt it somewhere else before. He felt the leather beneath his fingers and looked up at Rogue with a furrowed brow.

"Where'd ya get this ugly thing anyways? Never see you where it before."

Rogue glared at him, there was no trying to hide that. She'd kill him if she could for saying what he did. But she couldn't. So she just pretended her eyes were daggers and that she was stabbing him with them.

"Well I happen ta like it and I could give a rat's ass what ya think," Rogue retorted in a whispered yell turning her attention back to the board.

"Whoa, hostile much?" Bobby muttered in exasperation.

He heard the distinct clearing of a throat and turned over towards the front of the room to see Professor Xavier peering back at him over the divider. Bobby chuckled nervously before sitting up and proper in his seat and pulling out his notebook.

"Good to see you join us Mr. Drake and I see you've volunteered to go over this problem for us, so if you would," the Professor stated with a wry smile gesturing to the board and handing Bobby a piece of chalk.

He straightened his hair and brushed his shirt down as he approached the board totally and completely unaware of what the hell was laid out before him beside a bunch of numbers and variables and he'd actually attended class the past couple of weeks. Not that he was really paying attention to the board, he was more focused on watching the slope of Tabby's tank top and how it displayed her perfectly perky boobs.

He shook his head of the memories and stood there confused for a few minutes longer before writing a bunch of malarky on the board and returning to his seat with an air of accomplishment and pride as if he had actually done the problem right.

The Professor's eyes ran over the problem for less than a second before he began clapping. "Well thank you very much for exhibiting to us all how not to solve this problem Mr. Drake. Now if you'd please stop harassing Ms. Darkholme-Lensherr and pay attention to my lecture you might find out how to do this so you don't miserably fail your final, hmm."

Bobby sunk low into his seat as the class and even Rogue laughed at his expense and the Professor proceeded with his lecture, diagraming what and how to figure out the equation with and without the variables.

As the lecture came to a close and everyone was gathering their things Bobby caught hold of Rogue's hand and looked back at her. She pushed her hair behind her ear and placed a hand on her jutted out hip.

"What is it Bobby?" she asked feigning interest in what he had to say.

"We haven't seen each other in a couple of days I thought that maybe we could grab lunch or something?" he seemed earnest and real.

Suddenly Rogue remembered the boy she had fallen for all those months ago and it hit her that maybe as fucked up as Bobby could be there still was some good in him somewhere. Maybe she could make him see.

Rogue shrugged and finished packing up her knapsack. "Sounds good, Ah have some stuff Ah wanted ta tell ya anyhow."

"Cool, so the cafeteria okay or-"

"Nah Ah was thinkin' we could head down to that Mexican place ya like so much on Seventh," Rogue murmured as they walked out of the room and into the hall.

Bobby's eyes lit up and he smiled,"That sounds awesome."

They both trudged down to the parking garaged and stowed away into Rogue's Mustang heading down the driveway. There was an awkward silence between them as Rogue maneuvered around the many streets that they once had traversed alone and in the beginning of their relationship. She remembered when Bobby had been one of the only friends she had in the whole damn place and now what was left? A broken shell of relationship, that neither of them was really in anymore?

Part of her wished things between her and Bobby could be different. Not that they were still happy together in a relationship but that they could have just stayed friends. He had been so nice to her in those first months and whether it was just to get into her pants or not Rogue valued those small interactions between them.

She drove past the bookstore he had told her about and taken her to her first week at the Institute and the coffee house across the street where the had had their first date. Everything with Bobby was so normal. It was the kind of relationship she expected when she was younger. It was the kind of normal thing that romantic comedies show but that was nowhere near real life. Things could never be that cookie cutter or sweet, at least not all the time.

She parked in a small space behind the taco stand that Bobby had dragged her to the night after they first got drunk together in need of food. It had been raining and they rushed under the overhang with their jackets pulled over their heads and he had pulled her into a kiss, sloppy but sweet. And she recalled how she had been so unimpressed with the way he had kissed her, how lackluster his lips had felt against hers and how he had probed her mouth almost too cautiously. But now thinking about it in the light of nostalgia it had a different tone. A tone of hope, of need, of that childlike fear that comes along with new relationships.

Rogue felt a chill in her bones as they stepped out of the car and to the order window and she grasped at the leather around her pulling it tighter, closer to her skin and it calmed her. Somehow it was a reminder of why she had come here with Bobby in the first place.

They got their food and sat down at a table and Bobby began to speak animatedly about how much he disdained Physics and that Professor Xavier was just an old fart who needed to stay in the administration building and leave teaching to hot people like Ms. Munroe.

Rogue had caught herself in a daze, her eyes focused on the way Bobby chewed his nachos with his mouth half open and the way the food slopped around and mushed into a bright yellow mess and caused him to spit little bits of ground beef out as he spoke.

"What's wrong babe, ya haven't touched your food?" Bobby asked as he took a gulp from his soda.

Rogue shook her head and came back to reality. "Bobby there's something Ah need ta tell ya."

Bobby quirked his eyebrows in an amused fashion and shoveled some more food in his mouth, responding between chews, "Shoot."

Rogue gnawed at her lip. She wasn't any good at things like this. And right now she was regretting driving them both down here, she should've at least gotten him to meet her there. But there were loose ends to tie up, things that needed resolving.

"Look Ah know Ah haven't been around lately cause Ah've been going through stuff and all-"

"And I would've totally been there for ya babe but you know with midterms and papers and stuff I've just been so busy," Bobby interrupted thinking that she was grilling him for being an absentee boyfriend.

"That's not it at all," Rogue kept going keeping her tone quiet, reproachful. "Look, we both know that we're not invested in this anymore and ta be honest… there's someone else."

Bobby's jaw dropped and a mouthful of cheese, sour cream and ground beef came tumbling out. Realizing what had happened he attempted to rectify the situation and pulled a napkin from the box of food in front of him and wiped his face. Rogue pursed her lips and gulped back bile.

"What the fuck do you mean there's someone else?" he yelled once it had fully sunk in what she had said.

Rogue sighed. She should've known he would put up a fight. "Just that Bobby, there's someone else. Look ta be honest ya never had a chance once he came back inta my life. No one would've, so don't take it personally."

"The hell I won't! My girlfriend just told me she's been sucking some other guy's dick! Of course I'm gonna take it personally!" he yelled standing up from the table.

Rogue lost it. Did he really have the audacity to say that to her? She had told herself she wasn't going to get angry, wasn't going to make a scene, but Robert Drake was asking for it.

"Really, really, you're gonna feed me that shit Bobby! Like ya haven't been fuckin' everything in a skirt all up and down the Eastern fuckin' seaboard!" Rogue was yelling in his face.

Bobby blanched only for a moment before regaining his rage. "Oh like you didn't know? You fucking knew Rogue, you practically said go ahead."

"So why does it matter then Bobby huh? You get to screw whatever and whoever ya want now just not me!" Rogue threw back at him as she picked up her bag and keys and began to storm towards her car.

"Like that's even happened in the past couple weeks!" he yelled back from the table.

"Exactly Bobby and just so ya know, Ah got fucked for the first time in months last night because Lord knows what Ah did with ya didn't count!" she slammed the door to the car and stabbed the key into the ignition waiting for the tires to squeal and making out Bobby's last words to her.

"So does this mean no break up sex!"

He was so pitiful that it made Rogue sick. She was surprised that once she hit the first light her vision had become blurred. She rubbed her eyes to find that she had been crying and she didn't know why. She hated Bobby now. It was then that she realized she hated the Bobby she had just broken up with but she still cared for the Bobby who she had first befriended.

She should have known better than to try and stretch things with him past that. But she was so broken and she needed something to help her heal, to help her make things normal for once. Bobby would always be her normal, but not this Bobby, not this jackass who got his kicks from cheating.

The light turned green and Rogue slowed down as she took a turn and parked in an empty lot and let herself cry and remember the few good times she had had with the normal boy. After about twenty minutes she put herself back together again. She hoped she hadn't hurt him too much, that was really her only worry that she had damaged Bobby irreparably. She would never forgive herself if she had done that.

She turned the car back on and started the drive back to the Institute in silence, when her phone rang. She looked down at the caller ID and found that the number was restricted and smiled figuring it could only be one person.

"Heya Swamp Rat," she sniffed. "Ah was just thinking 'bout how Ah can't wait ta see ya tonight."

The line was quiet for a moment.

"Remy?" Rogue called out confused as to whether the line had died or not.

"So it is y'," a voice Rogue did not recognize answered.


	26. Lines Become Blurry

**A/N: So just as I wanted to shed a light so to speak on Bobby and Rogue's relationship and I wanted to check in with Erik and Raven and just how they are reacting to the fact that their daughter is missing and then go from there back to what is going one with Pregnant Rogue and Remy.**

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><p><em><strong>Five Years Ago - The Darkholme-Lensherr Residence<strong>_

Erik was fumbling through his closet looking for his blue tie with white naval steering wheels on it watching as his tie rack spun and spun but not seeing it anywhere on there. He had a naval christening to go to this morning for one of the marinas that backed his candidacy for governor and it would just put that cherry on top if he wore that tie.

"Raven!" he called out to her as he watched the round begin once more.

He heard his wife's footsteps approaching in her stilettos and turned around to see her wearing a nude slip and putting on her pearl earrings looking back at him with irritated red rimmed eyes. He sighed.

"What is it Erik?" Raven asked half heartedly.

"Have you seen my blue tie with-"

"With the naval steering wheels?" Raven finished with a gust of breath. "It's sitting on the bed with your sport jacket."

She turned back to her closet when Erik caught her wrist and she caught his blue eyes looking at her with a nurturing stare and she broke slightly. He pulled her into his chest and she began to cry, to sob once more and he stroked her hair as she heaved out breaths.

"I know honey, I know," he soothed biting back his own tears.

"I just don't know what to do anymore Erik, she makes me feel horrible, like I'm the worst mother in the world," Raven confessed.

Erik put his hand beneath her chin raising it so she caught his eyes, her topaz ones shining with fresh tears.

"Pay no heed my dear. She's just nervous and worried like all of us," he said hugging her closer. "Besides we have to keep trekking on, she'll come up, she has to, she's just a girl of sixteen after all my dear. She can't go far without someone noticing."

Raven pulled away and went to her wardrobe opening the doors and pulling her dress down from the hanger and looking over as Erik slipped on his slacks and began to button his shirt.

"That's not what I'm worried about Erik. I'm worried about what other kind of trouble a girl her age and with her looks could get into. God knows how it would look on us if she came back in….such a condition," Raven squeaked as she zipped up her dress.

Erik stared blankly at the floor as he finished buttoning his shirt. He sighed. "We're doing all we can to get her back Raven, there's little else we can do but wait until something turns up."

"Meanwhile I have Irene breathing down my neck that we're not doing enough and we're not putting enough time into the search," Raven snarled through a sob.

"It's not like John is any better with his brash half-assed attempts at detective work," Erik shook his head.

"Have you called Jean-Luc?" Raven asked with genuine interest.

Erik gritted his teeth as he threw on his sport coat adjusting his cuff links and looking over at Raven as she adjusted her hair in the mirror adding a little more concealer to hide the puffiness in her eyes.

"Not since last month. He told me he had no knowledge of where she was at and said that as far as he knew Gambit was back home at Guild Headquarters preparing for his training to resume in Paris. A crock of bullshit if I ever heard anything."

"Do you think he knows where she's at?" Raven questioned as they both took a look in the full length mirror.

"More than likely and if he doesn't he sure as hell has the capabilities of finding something out."

They both exited the room and padded into the dining room where a slew of equipment was set up including wire taps and recording devices and where two detectives sat tearing into a fresh box of donuts and guzzling down coffee.

They were going over records of Rogue's last whereabouts from over two months prior. Sitting behind them at the head of the table was a woman with short cropped blonde hair and thick horn-rimmed glasses. Her topaz eyes were identical to Raven's but apart from that there was no resemblance between the two apart from the similar physiques they had. She was wearing a dark green tunic and brown waist cinching belt.

"What's the news?" Erik asked.

One of the detectives popped his head up from a set of headphones and shouted, "Huh?"

"What's the news?" Erik repeated, his jaw clenched.

"Oh, nothing new sir. Just sommore stuff 'bout supposed sightin's around the bay area, but it's been looked into and there's no reason to believe it's true, no evidence anyhow."

"Hmm," Erik continued his fist tightening and unfurling and tightening and unfurling.

"Not like you give much of a crap anyways _Erik_," the woman in green responded.

"Irene!" Raven gasped.

"Pay no heed Raven, we're on our way out anyways. Have a _good_ day, Irene," Erik retorted his voice laced with venom.

"If they don't find my niece, if she doesn't come back because of the way you've treated her, I hope you know I will come after you Erik in any way I can."

Erik turned from his position in the doorway and smirked his ice blue eyes glinting with ferocity. "Empty threats will get you nowhere in life, Irene. I should know. Find a way to back them up and then we'll talk."

With that the couple exited, Erik consoling Raven as she began to sob once more. Irene fell back into her chair and snatched a pile of notes on possible sightings of Rogue and began to rifle through them.

"Filthy fucking politician," she muttered as she began to search through the spottings that were farther and farther from home, almost two months ago near the New Mexico border. It didn't sound so far fetched. She began to highlight the report.

_**The Lebeau Mansion**_

It had been three weeks since Rogue had found out she was pregnant and it had been confirmed with an actual honest to god doctor. She was exactly six weeks along by then which would mean that the exact first night that her and Gambit had had sex, the first time she had ever had sex, the night she had lost her virginity she had also lost her body because it now wasn't just hers, it was hers and the baby's.

She was living in a stasis of happiness and she didn't know where it was coming from. Part of her knew that she should be beyond belief scared out of her wits that something like this had happened. And part of her was, and that was the part that knew her parents would soon be involved. But aside from that her life was that best it had been in months, years really.

Her and Remy took walks down by the creek every afternoon. Mercy and her talked and read books together and discussed them. Tante Mattie made her all kinds of scrumptious food and was constantly making her take her prenatal vitamins and rubbing her belly with tonics to help with morning sickness which luckily Rogue wasn't having. Henri would drive her and Mercy to town and tag along as they shopped for maternity clothes that Rogue would soon need as him and Remy would follow along and make asses out of themselves putting things up to themselves as if to try them on.

And in the night when she seemed overwhelmed by all that was happening Remy would hold her close, his head against her always growing stomach and whisper to the baby, always something different, sometimes encouraging, sometimes hopeful, but always loving. She had almost forgotten how it felt to be alone.

They were having dinner one night when Jean-Luc came in and collapsed into his chair his bones beset with exhaustion. Remy immediately looked over at his father and put his hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Y' alright dere pere?"

Jean-Luc sat up resting his elbows on the table and holding his head in his hands. "It's fine mon fil jus' de same bullshit wit de Assassin's as dere always is huh."

Gambit hardened his jaw and was quiet. Henri stared at his brother but he did not talk for the rest of the night not even when Rogue pestered him about what was wrong and when the meal was finally over he excused himself to bed.

Rogue sat amongst the rest of the Lebeau clan confused and lonely for the first time in two months. Jean-Luc soon after excused himself to finish his work and Tante took to the kitchen leaving Rogue with Mercy and Henri.

"Why don't we go ta the library and relax a while Anna dear," Mercy asked. She and everyone else in the Lebeau home had begun to call Rogue by her real name and it made Rogue feel special for some reason, like she really belonged here.

Henri kissed his wife on the temple and then gave her an odd look that Rogue couldn't quite place. Mercy nodded and then Henri spoke.

"We have some t'ings ta talk 'bout first ma ange."

Mercy stood up, hugged Rogue and then left the room.

"Would y' allow me ta escort y' during a nice midnight walk Anna?" Henri requested although Rogue could tell from his tone of voice, although soft and soothing as it was, there was no request in it. It was command.

Rogue nodded and pulled back from the table, taking Henri's arm as he offered it to her and helped her stand up. They walked to the French doors that opened up onto the porch and exited into the crisp mid September air.

They treaded the soft grass, passing the big oak tree and heading into the small meadow following a small path of wildflowers that grew lush there. They're gait was slow and pensive and Rogue wondered if and when Henri was going to speak his mind. She was scared of what he had to say as if all that she had gained here could crumble from the few words he was about to speak to her.

"Do y' know much 'bout de Assassin's Guild, Anna?" Henri asked his tone nonchalant as he picked up a wildflower and began to pick away at it.

Rogue shook her head, "Not really, just that you and them don't get along."

Henri chuckled, "Dat's de understatement of de year if dere ever was one chere."

Rogue smiled at him meekly, she felt out of breath, but that was nothing new nowadays what with the baby growing in her belly and all.

Henri sighed as he continued to pull at the petals of the flower in his hand, "De Assassin's Guild and de Thieves' Guild have been mortal enemies almost from dere conception. It all started over a woman though as most of dese stories tend to."

They were starting to round back around to the porch and Henri gestured for Rogue to sit on the porch swing as he took his seat.

"So what happened?" she asked chewing on her thumbnail.

"Well what always happens. De two leaders of de guilds were the ones who were drawn in by dis femme fatale if there ever was one and of course bein' stupid batards they sought war as the answer ta their quest for love and so started the age old rivalry."

"And you've been feudin' ever since?"

Henri nodded, "For the most part, until recently."

Rogue's eyebrows quirked and he smiled at her innocent expression.

"I'm sure mon frere didn't go into details 'bout his past especially when it came ta the women he had in it, did he?" Henri poked fun.

Rogue blushed bright red and looked down at her hands. "No but Ah knew he got around quite a bit before we eva got together."

Rogue had never voiced her concerns about Remy's womanizing ways. She had known he was somewhat of a slut and his hanging around her brother didn't do much for his case either as John was known to hit it and quit it as well. But Remy was so different with her, he didn't push, didn't seem to care too much about the sex part of the relationship. Well maybe not that, but he was always trying to get Rogue to stop from going to far too fast, she felt like she didn't have to worry about him spoiling her virtue, he had always been trying to protect it, even now.

Henri chuckled warmly letting his breath wash over Rogue in that way that Remy's usually did and she felt his arm grip her shoulder lovingly like John used to do when they were little. She smiled, it was nice to have a big brother for a while. Even if he wasn't technically hers.

"Oui, mon frere was de sleaze of the Thieves' Guild if dere ever was one. Mais before dat he was a faithful man, or boy rather. You see, Remy's first girlfriend was a local girl by de name of Bella Donna Bourdeaux."

Rogue felt her gut twitch. She didn't want to hear about Remy's past girlfriends or conquests for that matter. It might not bother her that he had had them in the first place but she sure as hell didn't want to know the dirty details of such connections and relationships.

"Don't worry chere, dis ain't dat kinda story," Henri reaffirmed noticing the green shade of Rogue's face. "Anyhow, Bella Donna Bourdeaux also happened to be the daughter of none other than Marius Bourdeaux the infamous patriarch of the Assassin's Guild."

"He didn't!" Rogue gasped in amusement and shock.

Her and Henri giggled together, "Ouias he did. At de ripe old age of thirteen mon frere had seduced the heir to the Assassin's Guild and in doing so incited a whole 'nother feud of de Romeo an' Juliet variety."

Rogue pulled her hand to her mouth to hide her smile. As much as she wanted to hate this Bella Donna, just knowing that their families were feuding and had been for centuries made her feel a little more secure in her relationship with Remy.

"So let me guess, she found Remy cheatin' and cast him off and he ended up causin' even more trouble," Rogue scoffed.

Henri shook his head and scolded her, "Now don't y' be gettin' ahead of de story. Mais anyways dere was blood in de streets for weeks and not ta mention a big ol' red target on Remy's back for attemptin' ta steal the virtue of de soon ta be Matriarch of the Assassin's Guild. So in order to cease the bloodshed, Marius and Jean-Luc agreed ta a sit down ta negotiate a truce."

"Wow this is startin' ta sound like the Godfather," Rogue mocked.

Henri raised his eyebrows and she giggled at him.

"No more of y' comments til its over d'accord?"

Rogue nodded and mimed zipping her lips.

Henri continued, "Now de truce, since these two love birds were going strong now at fourteen years old and all, required a union of de Guilds which would be solidified wit de marriage of Remy and Bella Donna and as heads of their respective guilds dey would lead together and united the Guilds would be stronger than ever before."

"But aren't you the heir?" Rogue asked catching herself as she spoke. "Sorry."

"Nevermind it chere. But yes I am de heir, now. Remy due to his skill and early mastery at age thirteen had beaten me ta the title and thankfully so. Mais dat's not how it is now," Henri finished adding when Rogue began to pipe up again. "And yes I will get to dat later."

"So Remy and Bella Donna were betrothed and set ta get married once they were both eighteen mais on Bella Donna's sixteenth birthday on his way to the Bourdeaux mansion to surprise her for de occasion Remy found Bella Donna in bed wit another one of de assassin's, a good friend of de deux of theirs, Gris Gris. It was because of Bella Donna's infidelity dat Remy was unable deal wit de idea of marrying her and which led to de subsequent dissolution of the truce between Guilds."

"So that's why Remy came ta California with Jean-Luc, he was tryin' ta get away from her," Rogue muttered thoughtfully.

Henri nodded, "And it's what led to his immediate and insatiable need to throw himself at any femme dat smiled at him. He did heartbroken well in de respect dat it led to a lot of drunken nights wit women he'll never remember-"

"Why are ya tellin' me all this Henri?" Rogue huffed, she was getting upset.

She loved Remy, she didn't want to know how he had been deeply in love with another. She didn't want to know how he would have still been with her if it wasn't for the fact that she was whore and a cheat and broke his damn beautiful perfect heart. Could he have ever loved her half as much as he loved Bella Donna?

"Hold on Anna," Henri called, putting his hand on Rogue's to comfort her. "I'm telling y' dis because I was dere when Remy was wit Bella Donna. I saw dere relationship from de beginning to de very end and I saw how it ate him up everyday ta be in love with her. He wasn't a good person when he was wit her chere. Ta be frank he was quite de little asshole. Cocky, irresponsible, a dang little delinquent. And it only got worse when he left her."

Rogue started to get up but Henri caught her. "Mais! Mais when he's with y' it's completely different."

"No shit," Rogue bit back, trying not to cry.

"Y' don't understand Anna, y' make him better. De boy I knew would've never risked his own skin ta help someone else outta a bind, let alone a virginal girl of your status," Rogue blushed and Henri stroked her hand with his. "Y've changed him and in de best way possible."

Rogue smiled, holding back her sobs of joy as she pulled Henri into a hug. He patted her back and let her hold on a little longer than he would have because he knew she was overly emotional about the situation and he understood given everyone was overly emotional when it came to Remy Lebeau.

He pulled away and smiled at her, "Mais know dis Anna, if y' hurt mon frere I will not neglect ta find a way ta hurt y'. I might be a man but dere are ways chere."

He eyed her for a moment and then the two fell into a fitful of laughter unable to control themselves. Rogue wiped the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes and sighed patting Henri on the leg. He rocked with her on the swing.

"And just so y' know, if he breaks y' heart, I won't neglect ta hurt him either. I consider y' mon soeur now so if he ever gives y' any trouble," Henri began to hit his fist into his palm and Rogue laughed once more.

After a few more minutes sharing memories of Remy with each other Rogue retired to their room, surprised to see the light still on. She walked into the bedroom to find Remy sitting up, smoking a cigarette at his desk, his feet propped up on it as he leaned back in his chair.

"Waited up fo' y'," he murmured.

He gestured for Rogue to sit with him and she took her place on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. He took one last drag of his cigarette, the first Rogue had seen him smoke in a while, and put it out, blowing the smoke behind him. Rogue waited for the smoke to dissipate and then leaned down and pressed her lips to his lovingly.

"Ah love you," she whispered as he swept her up and placed her softly on their bed.

He caged her in with his body, hovering over her and grinning down at her and Rogue couldn't help the swell of lust that ran through her veins at the glint of his smile and the burning flames of lust that she could see emanate from his red irises.

"Je t'aime Anna Marie," he whispered back kissing her lips down to her neck.

He took his time and they went slowly, gingerly. They had had all their feverish fun before, when they thought that there would be no time left for them, when they could count the hours they would be together. But now they could relish in the touch, slow and sensuous as it was. Hands holding hands, hips meeting hips, lips brushing past this and suckling at that as their pants resounded throughout the night.

When the sun was coming up and they had had their fill for the night Rogue caught his hand and pulled it to her lips, he smiled and kissed her gently.

"What was dat for?" he asked watching her play with his fingers.

"You make me better too," she whispered her eyes closing as she fell sound asleep.

Remy lied awaked for a moment pondering her words. She was the only thing that made sense in his life anymore. She had made him a man in so many different ways and for some reason her recognition of that fact seemed like his life had in fact come full circle. He smiled to himself and kissed her hair. No way in hell did he make her better but he wouldn't be one to shatter her dreams.


	27. Coming to Terms

**_A/N:_**So hi again. I know I suck so much for putting this off for so long but this year has been more than crazy. I'm looking forward to putting the last chapters of this up in the next couple of weeks and then starting on a new project so I super promise that this will not be the last update for another hideously long period of time, there will be more all the time hopefully.

To all my beautiful reviewers who have stayed with me this far, I hope you didn't forget about this little story. Thanks so much. Here it is.

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><p><strong><em>Present Day<em>**

Heartbreak had always been an easy emotion for Rogue to pinpoint. She had felt it enough, had had enough time to stew in it to understand the inner workings that come along with the way your whole body seems to give way to shuddering convulsions of the chest that aren't really there.

So Rogue knew from the second she heard that voice on the other line that that is not what she felt. No, her hands were clenched, palms leaking sweat, her whole body tensed as if getting ready for an attack. But she could recognize the voice on the other side of that call now. She could hear its steady, eerily steady tone and know that sound of wind whistling through leaves that was her voice was only slightly, minutely cracked with that heartbreak that she was stopping herself from feeling. "So it is y'," the voice called once more.

Rogue was caught off guard by how calm she seemed at first; as if she too knew how to keep her pain at bay, as if she had trained herself to do so.

Rogue didn't know what to say and she felt her vocal chords restricting shut as if encompassed by a sheath of cotton. The line was silent for a long while, just the sound of the interior of Rogue's car humming and the quiet, empty creaks of the Bourdeaux Mansion.

"Are y' still there?" the voice eeked out.

It didn't make sense. It sounded as if she was breaking. She of all people. As if she had the divine right to be the only one who feels pain in this situation that had too many ties and too many hearts at stake. How many times had Rogue told Remy this was how everything was going to work out? How many times had she begged him to spare everyone else the pain? At least she knew how to deal with it, at least she wasn't such a spoiled brat that she had been shielded from pain. How ironic, the Assassin, soon to be matriarch, unable to come back from an emotional crippling.

"Yeah…" Rogue said quietly, her voice echoing in the car as her foot eased off the gas and pulled to the curb beside a residential area.

She heard the sound of Bella Donna choking on her words like a flustered child and cringed. She felt a great deal of pity for this woman but she hadn't figured out why yet. It was easy enough to say that she was angry and jealous of the fact that Bella Donna had not only cheated on the man she claimed to love (the man whom Rogue had loved since she was sixteen) and was now bearing the child of another lover from their affair.

But that wasn't why Rogue pitied her. Rogue pitied her because her entire life, Bella Donna had been trying to catch the man whose heart she broke when she was sixteen, a man who had healed, had fallen back in love, and had once again had that love torn from him. Bella Donna only knew the broken Remy and for her own selfish purposes, for her own sanity, tried to do right by him, by a man who could love her no more than a child loves their first toy.

"He's down there with y', isn't he?" Bella Donna continued, her voice gaining a little more acid.

Rogue breathed. "Not at the moment, no. But yes, he is in the area."

Belle scoffed. "All that boy does is runaway from home."

Rogue's eyebrows shot up. She was staring out at the perfectly trimmed yards and tract housing she was parked beside. To a certain degree she was right. Remy and to an extent she herself had been running away all their lives. But not from home, home was where they would always be when they were with one another. No, they were running away from the bullshit. The bullshit of tract housing and minivans and the veneer of reality.

"Ah don't think he's running away from home Bella Donna, Ah think he's running away from you."

Belle let out a deep breath and chuckled sarcastically. "Well wouldn't that be something, running away from me to get back to you."

Rogue could feel her face grimacing in shock.

"Well seeing as Ah was the mother of his first child, is it so hard to believe he would come to me? Or are ya so threatened by me that ya can't possibly think of this trip not having sexual undertones?"

Belle genuinely laughed. "Now come on chere, we both know Remy Lebeau well enough ta know that boy is sexual deviant."

"Well Ah can only speak for myself in this case Bella dear but Remy Lebeau has never cheated on me and Ah do suspect the only guilty party in your relationship is well, you darlin'," Rogue replied with an air of amusement.

"How dare you!" Belle exclaimed. "Are you denyin' that Remy and y' had sex in this past week he's been gone."

"Oh by no means," Rogue giggled. "But then again you two were already broken off by that point, what with your own brush with infidelity."

"We are betrothed, there is no breaking that bond chere," Bella Donna seethed. "So you're gonna break up a family just like that?"

Rogue noticed a smallish boy with reddish brown hair bobbing into view. He was riding a tricycle; a big piece of what she assumed was bubble gum stuffed chipmunk like into his right cheek. He had the broadest grin on his face and Rogue watched as from behind a set of garbage cans a man in his mid thirties with the same colored hair, popped out scaring the boy who after reclaiming his dignity rushed forward smile even broader, so broad it couldn't even fit on his small face, his father bending down and swooping him up towards the sky.

Rogue couldn't help the smile that was plastered on her lips in that moment. She felt the slow volcanic bubbling of the heartache slowly rock in her chest but it was soon quelled by the overwhelming truth that Rogue could see in that boy and in the simple pleasure that his father showed in every sway of his arms and every bounce of his step.

Rogue sighed and answered Belle's question.

"Belle you broke up your own family. If you could even really call it that. And if we're going to talk about the separation of families, my family, mine and Remy's family, was separated long ago by things we had no control over at the time and now we do, we have that control. We were a family long before you came back into the picture Belle because we loved each other and we're no longer gonna deny each other the love that we've been harboring for five goddamn years. We're no longer gonna be martyrs for the sake of other people's happiness. So Ah wish you the best Bella Donna but you can't have Remy because he was never yours to have, he was always mine."

Rogue hung up the phone and put her car into gear, taking one last glance at the boy and his father, whipping her car around and speeding down the street towards the city, dialing his number all the while.

**_Five Years Ago_**

Remy woke the morning of Rogue's first day of her fifth month of pregnancy with Rogue's head nestled on his shoulder, her leg draped over his, and her protruding belly taut against his hip. It was still early and he knew that lately Rogue enjoyed sleeping in but he knew laying here with her for an extended period of time would lead to him getting antsy and that if he moved or left she would immediately notice and wake up.

He smiled to himself and sighed. What he would give to have this as his only dilemma in the world. He laid still for a few moments and then slowly began to stroke Rogue's hair from her face, past her shoulder, taking a strand or two and letting if slip through his fingers.

Rogue began to stir beneath him just barely and he stopped, his arm rigid and warm against her back. He watched as her lips curled at the ends into a sleepy smile as her eyes began to twitch beneath her heavily lashed lids. She tilted her head upwards and felt the soft peck of Remy's lips as her eyes fluttered open slowly.

"This is a nice way to wake up," Rogue muttered cheekily as she settled her head back down on his shoulder.

"Je sais pa," Remy replied snaking out from underneath her and quietly padding to the window, spreading the curtain open and unhooking the lock to the window so a soft shaft of yellow light flooded the bedroom. Rogue could hear the birds chirping in the nearby trees and smell the moist air of the sea nearby.

Remy sat against the sill and lit a cigarette, puckering his lips to the right so that the stream of smoke filtered out the window. Rogue was grateful for everything in her life at this moment, especially the site of Remy Lebeau sitting naked on the ledge of a window smoking a cigarette. He looked elegant and perfect, the way the light shone on his tanned skin and the way his limbs and sinews seemed relaxed and long along the cushions of the window seat.

Rogue stared at him, a lazy smile on her face, eyes half lidded. She took in a deep breath, feeling the lack of weight, the freedom resting on her shoulders. And then she felt the slightest nudge from behind her belly button, like tiny fingers pushing and stretching within a confined space. Like a cat rolling and lolling awake after a nap.

"Ooh, ooh, careful now," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes for a moment in the brief discomfort.

She felt the slight turn of her stomach, as if a part of her was twisting around on the inside. "Okay get a lil more comfortable then, just not so fast next time, sugah," she commented her hands rubbing circles on her stomach.

Gambit's eyes were staring at the slow, deliberate motion of her finger tips running in time to a beat he couldn't decipher. He finished his cigarette, stubbing it out well before the end and sauntered slowly over to Rogue, his hands held out. He didn't touch her stomach at first. Almost as if he was scared, as if he was waiting for her permission. Things were so easy between them. There were no boundaries and he loved that, loved that he could tell Rogue anything, do anything with (or to) Rogue and she would go right along with it, because she wanted it too, she felt it too. But this was different. There was an extra variable to this equation and Gambit was unsure if it would add up to what he thought.

Rogue rolled her eyes at him as she lay with the sheets drawn up to her hip, and pulled his hand, albeit gingerly to her stomach. She didn't want to scare him off. The baby had been kicking for a while then, a couple of weeks. But every time the baby did, Gambit would get unexpectedly nervous. He'd touched her belly a handful of times, the rest of his family practically lived groping at the protruding part of Rogue that was okay as far as etiquette went to touch.

"There a reason ya so jumpy Swamp Rat?" Rogue asked when his stiff hands just stayed in one spot. The baby stopped moving too.

"Mmm mmm, non, I'm not jumpy," Remy squeaked, his voice cracking at a pitch only dogs could hear.

Rogue pursed her lips. Gambit took a deep breath and exhaled through his nostrils. He shrugged, "Le bebe never kicks for moi."

"Of course he does-"

"Non, he does for Pere, and Henri and Mercy and forget it wit Tante Mattie he might as well be playin' soccer, but wit me its like-" Gambit ruffled his hair and sat leaned back a bit. "Like he don't like me."

Rogue was quiet for a minute, her hands holding her stomach at its base, as if she was already cradling her child. She bit her lip and then looked up at Gambit. She put her hand on his cheek.

"Silly Swamp Rat, its not because he doesn't like you. It's because-" she couldn't look him in the eyes when she said it. "It's because Ah get all riled up when Ah see ya. My heart starts beating like crazy and he doesn't know how to handle it and he starts kicking like crazy and then when he feels your hand, when he hears your voice, its like he calms down, like he knows he's safe."

Gambit raised his eyebrow. "Ya really 'pect me ta believe that Roguey."

Rogue pecked his lips. "I'd never lie ta ya, ya know that."

She pulled his hand to her stomach and held it there for a moment, he didn't feel a thing. Then Rogue pulled his other hand to her chest, placing it right over her heart and she felt her skin begin to burn and an insatiable urge to press her lips to Remy's fill her and her heart sped like a runaway train. Immediately the child began to kick, stretch and roll.

Gambit's eyes lit up. Flaming red, the broadest, biggest, silliest grin Rogue had ever seen plastered on his face and she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. She was ridiculously emotional lately, practically anything made her cry and this was actually something emotional so she had to stop herself from bawling for Remy's sake.

"Hey dere li'l homme….its….its y' pere here….don't freak out so mon amour….everytin' is so bon…so bon," Remy had tears in his eyes and before he knew it, the woman of his dreams, holding her in his arms and making use of the daylight that was streaming through their window in ways most wouldn't have intended.

It was half past ten o'clock when they both stepped on light feet down to the dining hall for brunch. Remy's arms around Rogue's waist all the while. Mercy and Henri were squabbling playfully at one end of the table, a steaming plate of Tante's treats in front of them.

"Well if it isn't my dear frerot come to grace us with his presence finally. Lord, boy you not the pregnant one, you should be up well before Anna."

Gambit just smirked down at Rogue, pecking her on the head as she blushed. "I'm sorry frere, but there are somethings that morning light makes that much better." He kissed Rogue full on the lips, catching her squeal. She smacked him on the arm.

"Ah'm gonna murder you Swamp Rat," she whispered.

He chuckled as they took their seats at the table.

"Mon Dieu Remy, can't even keep it in your pants now. Ya too much petit."

His eyes glinted mischievously. "What can I say, I wake up next ta dis beauty and can't keep mon hands off her."

Rogue hid her smile beneath her long strands of hair, but Gambit's hands pushed them aside as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Alright that's enough, Rem. You're embarrassing Rogue," Mercy interjected. "By the way Rogue how was the end of that book you were reading? I've been meaning to ask you."

At the change of conversation, relief washed over Rogue and she started gabbing immediately with Mercy about her favorite character and how she hated the ending because it was realistic but not happy at all.

"So where's Pere and Tante Mattie?" Remy asked between bites of his eggs.

"Pere had some guild business ta attend to in the Montreal branch so he'll be back in a couple days. Tante Mattie on de other hand went to the baby outlet ta get a few more supplies for the quintuplets that ya'll must be havin'."

Remy and Henri chuckled softly at that. The old woman had bought everything under the sun for the new addition to the Lebeau clan that had yet to make his way out of his mother's womb. Nevertheless, he had enough clothes that he could wear a new outfit everyday for a year without having to do laundry and enough toy's to never get bored ever. Although Gambit believed the youngun would probably have more fun with the box than the toys that Tante was buying him.

"Y' think she would tire of all de stores."

"Ha, the only thing that woman tires of is us Lebeau's being sneaky and mischievous."

"Vrai."

Gambit turned his attention to the conversation his lovely beau and sister-in-law were having about their favorite characters from this novel series they'd both read when a servant flitted in, his face more grim that usual.

"Monsiuer Henri."

Henri turned towards the servant, slightly upset his breakfast was being interrupted. "Oui."

"Dere is a visitor at the gate."

"What do y' mean dere is a visitor at the gate? There is no one scheduled to be seen at headquarters this week."

"Oui, I know monsieur but there is a dame at de gate requesting to see the owner. She was very direct monsieur."

Henri growled. "I still fail to see the issue. Dis is private property and we 'ave de right to turn away anyone we wish. What makes dis dame any different?"

The servant cleared his throat. "She says she is a relation of Mademoiselle Anna."

Rogue's head popped up and her eyes grew wide, almost so big that it hurt to hold them open any longer.

"Excuse me," Rogue coughed after a moment, her voice so horse she could barely be heard.

The servant swallowed and looked at the ground before responding. "De dame, she claims dat she is a relation of yours mademoiselle. She didn't say who she was, just to go to de owner of de house and relay dis message to dem."

Rogue and Gambit shared a glance and Rogue's hands fell protectively to the small but immensely large thing being held in her body. She wanted to cry despite still being totally ignorant to what was going on. They'd found her. Her parents had finally found her and now she was going to be ripped from the only place she had ever called home. But she couldn't cry. Tears would not allow themselves to fall from her eyes.

Gambit's arms were around her, cradling her head to his chest, his hands at her back, trying with all the strength he had to absorbed her very being into him, so as she wouldn't have to face whatever or whoever waited for her outside that gate.

"Remy…." She choked. "They're here."

His eyes met hers and he didn't want to say goodbye. He didn't want those beautiful pieces of emerald to leave him, not for one instant. He wouldn't be able to live without her, not like he knew he would with her there. She was the only thing he wanted in life now, her and his son. They were all that matter.

"….We don't…"he didn't know what to say. He just kissed her lips, scared that the bile fighting its way up his throat, the fear rumbling in his gut would be the last thing he tasted on her lips.


	28. We're Not Giving Up

_**A/N:**_**_So I apologize to everyone for the late update especially after promising I was going to update soon. I've been working on this and another Romy fic and honestly didn't want to post anything until this story was actually complete. But in any case at the request of the guest who made me awful for denying some continuation to this story I'm updating. The final chapters_**will _**be up soon this time as they are written and soon to be proofread and finished. Best wishes x OW. **_

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><p><strong><em>Present Day<em>**

Remy was walking into his hotel his heels practically clicking together as he strutted into the lobby. He wore an impossibly big grin on his wry face, the lines around his mouth stretching much farther than they ever had. Every person that passed him received a well earned wink and a tip of the head in acknowledgement of the beauty of their life.

He rode up the elevator humming along to the incessant monotone music and tapping his foot. He wondered if anyone thought he looked high. For all he knew he was. The thought creeped into his head, and any other day Remy Lebeau would have rolled his eyes and hit himself upside the head for his actions but he was so goddamn happy he couldn't even muster up the sarcasm to do so.

He thought about bringing Rogue home, about holding her in the damp air of the bayou as the frogs croaked a tune and making love to her by that same pond in the sweet Louisiana night with all the stars glowing like distant diamonds.

Something about that dream made him sad. As if time were moving too slow to reach it. That somehow, inevitably, there would be yet another road block. He had another distant vision, of an old man, withered, tan skin leathered, sitting in a rocking chair, a glass of sweet tea set beside him and a picture a beauty of his youth clutched in his old broken hands waiting for the day when he would see her again.

Remy clutched his fists in the elevator. He would die. It would happen. There was no stopping death. But he would not live a day without her from now on. He couldn't, he wouldn't become an old man filled with regret, dreaming of things that would never come to pass. He would live his life with her, he would covet her for all she was worth because she was worth his world, worth his life.

The elevator slowed as it reached his floor and he held the key card in his hand. He tried to shake the ache that took over him, the sudden pulse in his heart that seemed heavy and thickened, his blood straining to pump through taut vessels.

He meant to focus on what he came here for. To call Etienne and tell him that he wasn't kidnapped by the Assassins and that he was perfectly healthy and would have been happy if he weren't too busy brooding over how things were gonna go to shit soon.

He unlocked the door to his room and found that it was just the way he left it. Bottles scattered across the floor, a few pieces of furniture either out of place or broken, but otherwise untarnished at least not to him. Remy bit his lip and pushed his hands through his hair. He sauntered over to the phone and slumped into the bed dialing the number and cradling his head in his arm, the other holding the reciever to his ear.

"Merde, I though' you was dead y' good for nothin' thief!" the reciever blared and Gambit pulled it away from his ear for as a slew of profanities flew from it.

"Best watch y' mouth dere mon petit cousin else I string y' up by ya toes like I used ta when we were little."

Etienne sighed. "Where in de nine circles of hell 'ave y' been Remy, de guild was gonna put out a search fo' y' if you didn't turn up soon."

Gambit rolled his eyes and fluffed his pillow. "Stop bein' dramatic petit I wasn't even gone all dat long."

"Dieu, do y' even hear yaself. Rems, you was gone close ta two days. You know if Jean-Luc's been going half mad wit all de politics between break off of de weddin'. He thought dat the assassins had come after you. God knows Gris Gris wants y' head."

"Yeah well dats cause he be fuckin' Belle."

Etienne shook his head and massaged his temples. Gambit could hear his exasperated expression.

"Don't change de fact that you had the whole famille worried sick."

Gambit swallowed. "Desole cousin. Some things came up."

"What kinda things Rem, honestly what could be so important that you would…"

Remy listened as he heard Etienne use his magnificent little brain, the best in the guild to figure out what no one else could, except Bella Donna herself.

"Non, dat's not possible. You telling me- But dat would mean- Please tell me it isn't-"

Gambit shook his head and rolled over, staring at the clock on the night stand. It was close to 3 o'clock. Rogue would be gettin' out of class soon.

"Are y' gonna form an actual sentence any time soon cousin?"

"Oh you shut up y' dirty-"

"Etienne please don't make me hurt you cousin, last t'ing I need right now is ta get chewed out by mon pere and your frere."

"Look I'm glad you and Rogue are -whatever it is you're doing- mais we are here on business Rems and dat takes precedence, not to mention all de other merde we got goin' on right now wit de assassins."

"Was the last security system installed?"

"Of course it was installed."

"Den what is it you blowin' hot air at moi for?"

Etienne took a deep breath.

"I really don't know." He paused and opened up a file. "Look I'm finishin' de details on this job, so I'll be headin' back ta Nawlins soon. Mais dere's somethin' y' should know before I head out."

Gambit growled. "What is it Etienne?"

"Y' pere is workin' on some truce between us and de Assassin's but it don't seem ta be goin' to well. And if Belle gets wind dat y' were with Rogue it's only gonna add fuel to the fire. Just be careful cousin. We love dat girl more dan anything, always have, she was more famille to us than you at some points. Mais things could be dangerous if not handled with care."

Remy stared at the ceiling. He hadn't thought of his bloodthirsty ex-fiancee.

"Don't matter, Belle was in the wrong. We were already broken off by de time me and Rogue even-"

"That's not de point Remy. If de Assassin's find out you slept wit Rogue -which I imagine y' did knowing you-"

"What's dat supposed ta mean?"

"It means y' can't keep it in y' pants wit most girls but when Rogue is in de picture you lose de brain up top. En tout cas, the Assassins will try to spin it dat you were de cheater which might not be so hard to make people believe. And if they do it could mean we have another war on our hands."

The words hung in the air like daggers poised to stab him. Gambit clenched his teeth.

"Thanks for the support cousin." He hung up the phone.

Gambit clasped his eyes shut and balled his fists. He tried to keep himself from shaking. He could feel the bed quaking beneath him. He snapped up from the bed and started to unbutton his shirt. He grabbed the phone again and began to dial, but stopped midway.

The feeling is his gut, the one that had spawned from the simple picture of him alone, old and wishing he could change the past seemed to grow in that moment.

**_Five Years Ago_**

"What the fuck are we gonna do?" Gambit whispered angrily at Henri as they stepped outside of the dining room and into foyer.

"What do y' mean, 'what de fuck are we gonna do.' We goin out dere and seein' dis relation of Anna's." He stormed off toward the security station at the front of the house.

Gambit kept pace. He didn't want to show Rogue how scared he was; he knew it would just break her even more. In that moment, when he heard the words spill from the servant's clumsy mouth he wanted to run. To flee with her in his arms and hope for nothing more than a few more moments with her, without fear and pain. To have just a few minutes of peace.

"Henri are y' fuckin' kiddin' me. The Darkholme- Lensherr's are gonna take her back."

Henri spun on his foot and faced his younger brother, his brown eyes narrowed and forceful. He showed their age difference in that split second of aggression and Remy didn't know what else to do but take a step back. He had only seen Henri angry like this once before, the night he killed Julien.

"Look here frerot, if we don't greet dis here relation, and turn our backs to them it will give dem every reason to suspect we know something. So we are gonna graciously meet dis woman under the pretense dat we know who she is but have no idea where Rogue is. Mon Dieu y' supposed to be trainin' to be a master thief. Rule number one Rem, Lebeau's don't get caught."

Remy watched as Henri shifted his stance and his shoulders slumped somewhat. He put a reassuring hand on his younger brother's cheek. Gambit clenched his teeth and held back tears.

"Let me handle dis frerot. I'll go talk to dis woman, find out what's goin on. You're too close to this. Stay in the guard room and watch us on de monitor. But please let me handle dis. I know what I'm doin."

Gambit nodded very lightly. "D'accord, d'accord."

His voice was so strained it hurt Henri to hear it. He pulled his little brother into a hug, arms taut around the taller man's shoulders. The took a moment to gather themselves and then Gambit walked into the security station located in the east wing of the basement as Henri walked out of the foyer onto the steps of the entrance to the Lebeau mansion.

Gambit watched the monitors from the second he walked in the room with an intensity that would make it seem that he was looking for hidden gems in the picture rather than watching for the reaction of the woman who was going to steal the love of his life away from him.

On the front drive to the main entrance to the Lebeau Mansion was a black sedan with tinted windows. It moved slowly forward towards Henri. He was unable to make out anything other than the driver, which was obviously not any of the Darkholme-Lensherrs. Henri had an amicable smile on his face that hid the angst and anxiety that were licking at his spine in that moment.

He loved Rogue like his sister. She was the perfect woman for his little brother, the type to keep that haughty little rascal in his place but with the manners of a southern lady. He enjoyed her company as did Mercy and the rest of his family. She fit, better than anyone he'd ever met in such a short period of time, even Mercy and she'd known the Lebeau's for years before Henri and her had started dating. And although there was this trouble threatening his family he knew that Rogue was a part of that now. She was no longer theirs, she was Lebeau in everything but name.

The car stopped a few feet from the steps and Henri took his time descending from the top, watching as the old driver rushed around to the passenger side of the car. He opened the door slowly and Henri was surprised at what he found standing before him.

Gambit was unable to stand the time that seemed to eek out in millions of years. He felt that if he just knew, knew what the hell was going on he could better assess what to do. He was a master thief, and Rogue was his prize and god be damned if he didn't know a way to keep her his forever, no matter who this person was riding in this nondescript car on his soil. They'd have the reckoning of a full Lebeau clan.

He stared at the monitor waiting for the door to open and those goldenrod eyes to catch him again, their depth and ferocity like that of a wildcat, the red hair that flamed down her cheeks. But he couldn't catch a glimpse of her, not yet. Henri was in the way of the main camera and Remy was fearful if he took his eyes off of the screen he would find himself outside, confronting Raven Darkholme-Lensherr.

Rogue had been being consoled by Mercy in the dining room while Henri and Remy had gone along to figure out how best to handle the situation at the door. She was doing her best not to hyperventilate while Mercy rubbed her back and held her hand. She wondered if this feeling in her gut was what going in to labor would feel like. She realized then it wouldn't be as intense.

After a few minutes she could stand it no longer and stood up from the table.

"Rogue where are you going?" Mercy rushed after her.

"Ah have ta be with Remy, it might be-" she choked back the words and waddled down towards the foyer.

After a few moments she followed a servant down into the security room watching through the cracked door as the love of her life eyed the screen solemnly. She scooted up behind him, catching him offguard. But when he saw her face he could do little but kiss her lips and hold her close to them as they both watched their future unfold on a small television screen.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle, I am Henri Lebeau, how is it that I may help you today?"

The woman stood outside of the vehicle, dark sunglasses shielding her eyes. "Nice to meet you Henri, I'm here to see my niece."

The woman held out her hand and Henri took it in his holding her firm grasp for a few seconds before she pulled back and removed her glasses, showing the fierce cat-like amber eyes.

"Excuse me mais I still have yet to get your name?"

"Irene, Irene Adler. Now if you would please show me to my niece I'd be much obliged Monsieur Lebeau. Its been too long since we last had a visit."

Henri was floored. The woman was classy, dressed in a simple blouse and black pencil skirt. Her blond hair was cropped short to her chin and her lips held a smile that reminded Henri of a dinner call. She folded her hands in front of her.

"Well I must apologize Mademoiselle Adler, mais I can say for certain dat your, uhh niece was it, is not here. Dis is the residence of the Lebeau's of Nawlins and de only guests dat we have on de books would be mon and mon frere's fiancees, everyone else is a servant or a Lebeau."

Irene licked her lips. "Where is Remy anyhow?"

Henri quirked his eyebrows and smiled in faux confusion. "Mon frere. Why he is out on business for our corporation."

"Ahh well. I will be staying at this hotel," she handed him a small business card. "If you here from your dear brother please contact me. I'll be staying there indefinitely. Have a good day Monsieur Lebeau."

Irene smiled, her lips pursing tightly on her small jaw as she placed her sunglasses back on her face. She turned on her heel as her driver rushed from the otherside of the car to open her door for her. Henri spun on his heel with the idea of retreating back into the mansion and debriefing Remy on what had transpired but before he could a body was rushing past him.

"Wait! Wait!"

Irene's head craned around the door and the driver and her smile widened in genuine shock and relief. She pushed the door into the driver as she stepped out.

"Aunt Irene wait!" Rogue yelled as she ran down the steps toward the car.

Irene stepped out of the sedan and watched as the young girl came to a stand still in front of her. Her eyes scanned the girl's face, the bright eyes she smiled at her with and the obvious glow of happiness that enshrouded her and then they fell to that not so insignificant difference. The tiny little thing that separated the times she had seen her niece. The love that was for certain growing within her.


	29. Shoot the Messenger

**_A/N: Another update for my faithful reviewers, readers, and friends. I am so thankful that so many people are invested in my little (although not in length) story. There are only a few more updates left and soon all will be revealed. I know I brought up more questions in this update but know they will be resolved soon enough. Thanks again for all your support. _**

**_With love, OW :)_**

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><p><strong><em>Present Day<em>**

Rogue was frustrated to find that Remy's phone went straight to an automated voice saying it was out of service. She wondered what in the hell he could be doing that his cell phone would not be on. The man was thief, someone that was always on call and this was the first time she could ever think of calling him and the line being out of service of all things.

She tried to contemplate what in the world it could be that could involve Gambit's phone being disconnected. Maybe the bill hadn't been paid. She shook her head and pressed her foot harder on the gas. Like the guild would ever forget to pay its bills. Like the guild would ever need to pay things like cell phone bills.

She began to worry. What if something had happened? What if Belle had gotten to him? Could the reckless, wrathful, blood thirsty assassin have been able to, in the minutes since her phone call with Rogue ended, somehow find a way to find Remy. To find him and hurt him. Rogue's panic caused her driving skills to become just as reckless as she believed a hit on Remy Lebeau by the assassin's would be.

She sped towards the hotel. They had agreed to meet sometime this evening. But the details had never been solidified. Was it going to be at the Institute or at the hotel? She had just assumed that Remy would call her or she would get ahold of him. She never thought that finding him after she had just had him in her arms hours before would feel so impossible.

What was his room number again? What would she do if he wasn't there? She had never been helpless, she had learned, had told herself that she had fought circumstances. He had helped her get through the fear she held as a young girl. But now it all seemed to fall back on her shoulders, the doubt, the fear, the guttural knowledge of how happy endings don't exist for people like Remy Lebeau and Anna Marie.

It took her twenty minutes to reach the hotel and five to take the elevator up to the penthouse. By then she was sure, absolutely certain the love of her life, Remy Etienne Lebeau was dead.

**_Five Years Ago_**

It had been three hours since Irene Adler had arrived from the airport in sunny, moist New Orleans. She had enough sense to know not to leave a lead for her sister or her ass of a husband to follow. A layover in Milwaukee before heading to New York and buying a new ticket under an alias for New Orleans.

Irene wanted to solve this case, she wanted to know what was going on which was not what her sister and brother-in-law (did those words make her sick) wanted at all. She made her way from the airport into a cab and asked directions to the nearest four star hotel. Got in contact with a private town car company and made her way to the address she had found through a chain of contacts and after spending a sum she wished she hadn't on bribes. Even then it was just a guess.

Who was to say that her niece was holed up with the sultry eyed boy from the Thieves Guild? Her lead in New Mexico could have been all wrong. But if there was one thing that Irene was talented at it was her uncanny intuition, a gut reaction that never was wrong. She had tried to pass it on to her niece with little success. Anna Marie had always been a bit of a worrier, intuition aside she was set to see the pessimistic side of things.

But it was Irene's intuition that told her her niece was safe, that she was with this boy, that despite the fact that the Thieves Guild was involved Rogue was smart enough not to be put in any danger. So when she stepped out of that car and saw curly haired Lebeau junior with his collar sweaty and his eyes slightly disbelieving. If she hadn't had the trained eye to see such things she wouldn't be able to tell he was lying. It would take a professional to see the minute slip ups he had. He would probably curse himself for it later.

Suffice it to say she was expecting everything that was coming, the denial, the polite veneer, the light almost unreadable threat. The one thing she was not expecting was to see her sixteen year old niece rushing out of the house with something hidden just below her chest. A bump that could only be recognized as one thing.

Irene had to be carried into the Lebeau mansion, despite qualms and threats otherwise. The wildcat tag team of Rogue and Mercy was enough to silence the men and their reservations if for the few moments it took to get Irene situated on one of the entertaining living room sofas.

She awoke in Wizard of Oz fashion with all parties involved standing around her. She sat up and shook her head.

"Oh Rogue, dear," she placed a palm to her niece's cheek. "I'm so happy to see you."

Rogue clenched her jaw. Her eyes drooped with her neck from behind the sofa. Her arms resting along the back.

"Ah missed ya too Aunt Irene. So much."

"I have this insane flitting image that I can't shake," she said sitting up.

"Oh…"

"Yes, of you…well you being…"

"Pregnant."

Remy stood off to the side, leaning on the entryway, rolling a cigarette in between his fingers. Rogue's face sank and her skin seemed to turn green in pallor. Irene choked back disbelief.

"Less of a dream and more of a reality then. Well I can say it is more than I expected."

"Ah'm sorry Aunt Irene, Ah'm so sorry."

Rogue buried her face in her arms.

She felt someone stroking her hair.

"Why dear child are you sorry? You have budding life inside you, a gift no one else can give you, or take from you. Please do not be sorry on my account. I'm not."

Rogue lifted her face, tears on either side of her cheeks and saw Irene's amber eyes still and peaceful filling her with reassurance.

"But…Ah'm…Ah'm only sixteen…and Ah ran away from home…and Ah've made a whole mess of things."

Irene chuckled. "I cannot say I don't agree with you Rogue, darling. But, things were a mess long before you ran away. Our family is not unaccustomed to messiness."

Henri seemed to visibly relax, his shoulders slumping somewhat and his hands resting open palmed on his legs. Mercy lips twitched in a small, contented smile and softly placed her arm around Rogue's shoulders.

"You are young, but so was you're mother when she gave birth to John. She likes to act like her and that bastard of husband of hers," Rogue cringed minutely. "Sorry dear I forget he's your father sometimes, anyways he likes to act like they didn't elope when she was just sixteen, because she was pregnant with Kurt but they did."

"Kurt? Whose Kurt?"

Irene sat up fully and swung her legs over the edge of the sofa, into a sitting postion. She patted the empty spot beside her. Rogue followed.

"You two lover boy, trust me you'll want to learn all the dirt on the Lensherr's you can, while you can."

Remy placed the cigarette he had been fingering into his shirt pocket and sauntered with slow deliberation toward Irene. He didn't fully trust her. She was after all related to the Darkholme-Lensherrs, which made her public enemy number one to him. But Rogue seemed to trust her and so for that he would give her one shot, a shot in the dark and that was all.

"Kurt, my love, was your mother's first born."

"But…"

"Ah ah ah, let me finish. You see your father was already on the fast track to being a politician. At twenty- three to your mother's sixteen he was already an intern for the governor's office in Mississippi. The last thing he needed was an underage girl carrying his child out of wedlock. So he called in some favors."

She nodded her head towards Henri. "With some people in high places."

"So daddy called in the guild, but why?"

"To legitimize the relationship. The guild fudged your mother's birth records. Made her three years older than she was. Nineteen to your father's twenty-three and then made it so that the couple had been married for almost two years.

No one paid enough attention to interns to care whether or not they got married and your father was smart enough not to get close to anyone who would take notice of such things.

In return your father would owe the guild. He would act as liaison in Congress once he was elected."

"Y' still haven't answered her question," Remy murmured somewhat peeved with the story.

"You're eldest brother was born two years before John. He was a sickly little boy, born without the ability to use his lungs properly. He died just three days after he was born."

"What in the hell does this have ta do wit me and Rogue?" Remy interrupted.

Irene pursed her lips and glared. "What it has to do with you Monsieur Lebeau is a lot. Its leverage. Very little, and what would be hard to prove if it weren't for the records I know Lebeau Senior has."

"Still doesn't 'plain why y' tryin' to help us in de first place."

"Remy!" Rogue cried, gripping his hand in her own.

"He has a point Rogue," Henri piped up. "We know very little 'bout your aunt, we have ta proceed wit caution here."

Rogue stood up, her stomach making it difficult for her small feet to balance. She wobbled slightly, Remy putting a guiding hand on her hip only for it to be slapped away.

"This woman is the only person who made me feel like Ah had a family besides ya'll. So if ya would puhlees give her the benefit of the doubt Ah'd be grateful, unless ya'll want me walking out of this damn house almost six month pregnant and findin' my own way of havin' this kid!"

Remy stood up, faced Rogue. She folded her arms and glared at the ground. He tried not to laugh. It was difficult when she was angry for him not to laugh. Something about her fieriness gave him joy, knowing that she would always stand up for what she believed in.

But this time he wouldn't laugh. Because in all seriousness he was genuinely fearful of her departure. It would be difficult for Rogue to leave on her own, with so many from the guild to back Gambit's search for her. But with the aid of Irene it would be much easier for her to disappear.

He kissed the top of her head and closed what little distance was between them. She pulled away. He sighed. Once again his hands went for her waist, her fist breaking the connection. He huffed in frustration. He leaned toward her, brushing his lips against the crown of her head and hummed. She loosened.

He took his chance and put his hands around her waist. He pulled her in, cradled her to his chest, feeling as her arms glided into place around his neck. He kissed her head again, humming the words into her hair. _In this world of ordinary people, extraordinary people, I'm glad there is you._

She lifted her chin up to see his eyes, reproachful in their glowing orange color, big and wide and lacking the fury she was scared she would still see there. She placed her lips to his humming along with him, finishing the verse.

"Je taime," he whispered as their foreheads met.

"Je taime aussi," she relented.

He held her at her hips and looked over the top of her head down at Irene. He was anything but skeptical. The two most precious things in the world to him were hidden away in his home, wrapped close in his arms and he would do anything to protect them. He couldn't be so easily swayed that they would be in better care than his own, or that any advice save that he gave himself could help them.

"Je suis desole, Irene," he grunted as politely as he could.

Rogue punched him for good measure in the arm.

"What I said I was sorry," he growled rubbing his arm.

"Its fine Rogue, I wouldn't expect to win a thief's trust so easily."

"Thank you for thinking of it that way, 'cause I still got question for y'."

Irene quirked an eyebrow and crossed her legs, placing her hands atop them, folded.

"Please, young thief ask away."

Gambit licked his lips as Rogue stepped away from him. He stared down at Irene who wore a smile and had a glint in her eyes that reminded him all too much of the fiery red head who she called sister.

"Y' still haven't told us why it is y' came here."

Irene's lips flicked up in approval, her eyes igniting with a flame that Remy could only think reminded him of hell fire.

"Smart you are, young Lebeau. But I would think that obvious. I'm here for my niece."

The room grew still and quiet. Rogue shifted her weight. Mercy let out a squeal only audible to her. Henri let his head fall into his hands.

"Dat answers little. Are y' here ta take her back? Are y' here ta visit? What is y' purpose?"

Irene sighed. "Well there it is."

There was another silence, filled with all the wrongs and angst and fears of what was to be said next.

"My sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew are all looking for Rogue. She is after all the daughter of a former Senator and a newly elected governor. How bad would it look on the police, on the FBI, if they couldn't find such a high profile missing person…

I was apart of the team to find Rogue. But, our motives for finding her were different."

She reached for Rogue's hand in that moment. "I wanted nothing more than to see that you were safe, maybe even happy wherever you were. I knew better than to trust the veneer of happiness that your mother tried to sell me."

"So y' came ta see she was well? Sorry if I'm not quick ta believe dat crock of merde."

"That was my intention Remy Etienne Lebeau, that is before I found out she was pregnant," Irene practically spat.

"What do ya mean?" Rogue sounded like a dog who had been kicked.

Irene let out a frustrated growl. She straightened her posture and pressed her clasped hands tighter together before cracking her knuckles. Her neck strained as she searched for the correct words.

"I mean that I was going to take you back-"

"Like hell you are! Get de fuck outta mon house. You get out now!" Gambit seemed to glow in the dim lighting, an explosiveness loomed in the air around him, threatening to burst from his very skin.

He was shaking he was so furious. Rogue placed a gentle hand on his and stared into his eyes. Her green ones tranquil as a forrest. He saw a small pop of blue from behind those emerald irises and couldn't help but think it was pain turned blue. She rubbed the back of his palm with her thumb, continuing as she turned to face her aunt.

"Ya can't mean that Aunt Irene, Ah know you don't mean that."

"It was only going to be for a short period of time. We would figure out an alibi, you ran away with some friends and then after some time I would request for your parents to hand over guardianship to me. But so much has changed now Anna Marie…so much."

Rogue began to cry. There was a small tumble in her stomach, light as a butterfly's wings on the wind, but enough to make her shake with fear for that simple touch inside of her.

"She's not goin' anywhere," Gambit threatened.

"It's not up to you anymore Remy. You've only made this situation that much worse."

Henri cleared his throat. "I beg your pardon Mademoiselle mais y' forget une t'ing. Your niece is carrying a future heir ta de Thieves Guild. And as long as she is my brother's affianced she will be under our protection. Even after. From this day on she is a member of de famille Lebeau, forever."

Irene clenched her teeth. "As I said before this was simpler before it became complicated. But alas things never go as planned. Plot twists are hardly ever accounted for."

"Agreed. So as y' have offended not only mon famille mais myself as well, I would appreciate it if you took your leave from de premises Mademoiselle Adler. If we have any need of y' de guild will be in touch."

Irene coughed lightly trying to hide her shock behind it. Remy pulled Rogue close, guarding her, his arm around her shoulder, his other hand caressing the small bump at her abdomen.

"Very well. As I stated before I will be at the nearest hotel. Staying indefinitely. But know this Lebeaus, if I have found her, it will not be long before the others do as well."

Irene dusted off her skirt, and adjusted her belt. She debated whether or not to give Rogue a hug goodbye but from the way Gambit was staring at her with all the fires of Le Diable in his scarlet eyes, she decided it best to leave without further pause. She let her fingers glide along Rogue's arm however, just wishing to give the reassurance she had come to give. And almost as unexpectedly as she had appeared she had vanished.

The four stood in the aftermath with the air dissipating of anger and being filled with the sting of broken dreams. Mercy came to the other side of Rogue and rested her head on her shoulder, allowing her small body to give some comfort in the form of warmth.

"Goddamnit, god fuckin' damnit," Rogue whispered to herself.

Gambit stroked her hair and soothed her with shushes as she fell to pieces in his arms.

"She was givin' us an ultimatum Rem, she was tellin' us get with the picture or watch it burn."

"Non, no such t'ing is gonna happen. Not so long as you're mine and I'm yours."

"Like I said before Rogue, the Lebeaus protect their own and y' are one of us now," Henri said quietly.

Mercy rubbed Rogue's shoulders. "Besides we like y' more than Remy so we be wantin' ta keep y'."

Rogue tried to smile but her sobs clawed at her lips.

"Nothin' is gonna keep me from y'. Not even Dieu himself could."

Rogue's face snapped to his in that moment. She saw the sincerity looming in the crimson fires dulled almost copper in color. Something about the truth in that statement scared her. She wished that was all it was. But threatening God himself was enough to send her to her knees begging to keep the little family she created from her damnation. She realized that damnation had a messenger in the form of a raven.


	30. Family Ties

**_A/N: So after this chapter you guys might hate me for a while but I'll be posting the next one very soon after this so don't worry I won't leave you in limbo for too long. Thanks again for all your kind words. _**

**_-OW _**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Present Day<em>**

The elevator dinged on the top floor of the hotel. It buzzed for a few seconds, and the doors squeaked open to reveal the penthouse in all of its mess. Rogue was distraught. There were bottles strewn all over the floor. It looked like someone had been dragged about the place. The furniture was scattered about and knocked over in many places.

Rogue fought the need to break down and cry and called out for him.

"GAMBIT!?…GAMBIT!?"

She ran into the living room, searching for anything, any goddamned thing that could give her some peace of mind that he was there and safe, but to no avail. All she saw were tracks, was the evidence that he had been ripped from her once more.

She rushed into the bedroom to find the sheets torn completely off the bed. She screamed heart-wrenchingly loud.

"NO, no no no no no! NO!" she called to herself as she fell into a heap of limbs and sobs on the floor, her head dangling against the edge of the bed.

"Not now….why now!?"

She was in hysterics, unable to control any sound or movement her body made. She had thought the worst had already happened. She thought she could feel no more pain that to know that beautiful things, precious lovely things could be ripped from out of her outstretched arms.

To have something, to know its flesh, its warmth, its heart as your own and to have it clawed from you that pain was enough, but then to know its once more and feel the hope of having it forevermore only for it to vanish, to be taken once more. There were no words, no cries loud enough, no physical pain sharp enough to described how she felt.

She sat on the floor and cried. Cried. What she would give to never have to cry again?

The elevator dinged. But she had no sense to check it. She couldn't hear it over the deafening sound of her heart being burnt from the inside out.

"Remy…my Remy…why?"

"Anna!" his voice called. Delirium taking suit over reality she was sure.

He dropped the bottle of Jack Daniels and bags of groceries he had in his arms. His body was shielding hers before she knew he was there.

"Anna Marie whats wrong, what in de world is wrong mon ange?" he soothed as he pressed his body gently against hers.

Rogue's head snapped up to his and the back of her head smashed into Gambit's chin. The pain, physical knocked her back into reality. They both winced for a moment before Rogue came to.

"Rems!" she said flipping over, pinned between his arms finally staring him in the face.

"Yeah chere, who else it gon' be," he said still rubbing his chin in pain.

She kissed him thoroughly in that second, leaving Remy unable to catch his breath. Then she slapped him before he could take in air.

"What's dat for!?"

"For givin' me the biggest damn fright of mah life ya damn good for nothin' thief!" she said hitting him again as he began to sit up to block the blows.

"Rogue stop," a fist to the chest. "Dieu I don' even know what I did," a slap to the shoulder. "Will y' stop dat already, it hurts," a knee to the hip. "ROGUE STOP!"

He stood up and left her on the floor huffing and puffing, her arms crossed and a glare that no sane man would want to be on the other side of aimed directly at him. If her green eyes could turn as red as Remy's they would be.

"Y' gon tell moi what in de hell is goin' on?" Gambit asked exasperated leaning sitting on the bed and looking past his knees at Rogue.

"Ah thought you were dead ya, UHHHHH! Ah don't even have the words ta express how angry Ah am at ya, ya're lucky Ah didn't chop ya up inta little itty bitty pieces like Belle might've," she growled balling her fists in the air and punching at the helpless molecules.

"Belle what in de world does dat harlot have ta do wit dis?" Remy asked attempting to but Rogue's nerves at ease by stroking her knee. He got a swift kick to the leg that put an end to it.

"Ah can't believe ya're not dead. Ah'd kill ya if it weren't for the fact that the damn Assassin's had me thinkin y' already were! UHHHH ya stupid lousy dirty rotten-"

"Scoundrel?" Remy replied with a smirk and a wink. Rogue kicked him again in the ankle. "OW!"

"It's not funny!"

"Look chere, how was I suppose' ta know y' thought I was dead. I still don't even know where y' got dat little ol' moi could possibly get one upped by imbeciles like de assassin's."

"Because she called me thats how!"

"Belle?!" he practically choked. "Belle called y'?"

"Yes, she called me. Called and talked all 'bout how she knew we were cheatin' and how she knew it was me all along. And then Ah told her off and called ya and ya didn't answer your stupid phone and-and- goddamnit Remy why in the Sam Hill didn't you answer ya're goddamn phone!"

"I might've…gone and broken it maybe…y' know in a" sigh "drunken rage of some sort, when a certain belle dame sans merci came back inta mon life and rejected moi."

"ARE YA SERIOUS!" she smacked him upside the head with the flat part of her foot. "You went a broke ya're phone because Ah didn't think we were gonna be able ta make this work!"

"Its a possibility," he murmured wincing before the next blow.

"Ohhh, Ah could kill ya!"

"At dis point I'm startin' ta think y' have a greater possibility of doin' dat dan de Assassin's do."

"Shut y' mouth y'-" and Remy had pressed his lips against hers that seemed so intent on insulting him more.

He stopped to let her breathe. "Y'" he went back to kissing her, traveling down her lips to her neck. "Ya dirty" She pulled her arms around his neck "Good for nuthin'," moan. " Scoundrel" she whispered into his neck.

His hand drew circles into her hip as he pulled them into a sitting position against the bed. When they finally broke away Rogue was calmer.

"Don't get ta thinkin' ya'll be able ta do that every time Ah get angry at ya."

"Wouldn't dare, chere. Wouldn't dare," he chuckled.

She snuggled into his chin and he faux winced in return. "Ah'm sorry. Ah might've overreacted. But Ah was genuinely worried there for a minute Rems."

"Not even Dieu himself, Roguey, not even Dieu himself."

He pulled her close again and their bodies made use of the previous angst in better ways than worry.

After they had had there fill, the two laid in the unmade bed for quite a while. Remy stroked Rogue's arm brushing the curls away from her shoulder. She took gulps of him deep into her lungs. That scent that could bring the whole world crashing down around her if she never smelt it again.

"I was gonna make y' dinner mais I think I had more pleasure eating-"

She smacked him upside the head with a pillow, a silly grin on her face. "If ya finish that sentence Ah'll hit ya again and not with somethin' feathery and light."

"Promise."

"Scoundrel."

"Skunkhead."

"Swamp Rat"

"River Rat." He kissed her on the nose. She wrinkled it playfully.

"Are ya gonna sit there all night and kiss me or are ya gonna make me a sammich, sex slave?"

Remy chocked on his own laugh. "Don't tempt me chere."

"Hop to it, ya have lots to make up for."

Remy stood up and started to walk to the kitchen, Rogue admiring the view of his naked backside walking away all the while.

She could hear him mussing about in the kitchen, pulling things out of cabinets and bags of groceries and opening and closing the fridge. She smiled from the bed.

"Do ya think its safe ta cook naked?" she yelled to him.

She could hear his laughter as a response. "How do y' think all dem nudists do it."

There was a pause as he awaited her response. When she didn't answer he continued to prep the food, adding some pasta to a boiling pot of water.

"Ah always feel like Ah'm the bringer of bad news," she whispered as she tangled her arms around his torso.

"Something tells me two naked people in de kitchen is more dangerous dan one," he said pecking her on the lips and unlocking her arms from around him. "Go on, skit. At least go 'round the island mon amour."

She walked around. "Ah mean it Rems. Ah'm always the one to bring ya or mahself down a notch, especially after we've been on such a high."

"Don't do dat. Don't do dat ta yourself chere. Its not your fault. Belle's a manipulative bitch. She's grasping at whatever she can ta make herself come out on top."

"Ah know its just…why can't anythin' ever go smoothly, ya know."

Remy nodded as he sautéed the vegetables for the sauce. "Oui, mais y' not de only one who brings bad news….I got some myself today."

Rogue shifted on her stool. "Oh…"

"Belle related as always," he sighed. "Etienne thinks dat she's gonna spin this. I think that's why she called y', ta make it seem like I was de one in de wrong. Mais she's got one t'ing she can't explain away and if it comes to it she'll kill it as easily as any other mark she has before."

Rogue cringed. She didn't like to talk of such things. Maybe it was the thought of her own child, but things like that made her more than a little skirmish. She was never one to judge, but if Bella Donna did what Remy was suggesting she would it would be much different than the decision of another woman.

He turned and saw her reaction and leaned across the island, cradling her face in his hands. "I'm sorry Anna. It hurts me too ta think of it."

"Just when Ah think we've hit rock bottom," she gestured with her hand.

"Well I know just the thing ta do wit rocks," he replied, grabbing a glass from behind the counter and filling it with ice. He slid the bottle of Jack Daniels over to her.

**_Five Years Ago_**

"You can't! You can't do this! You just can't!" she screamed.

Her lungs seemed to be devoid of any air they were burning so much.

"You can't! NO!" no one could hear what she was saying, it was indiscernible to human ears.

Remy attempted to put his arms around her but her flailing limbs stopped him. He'd never been hit harder in his life. He wasn't sure if the pain was physical or mental. He just knew he had to hold her close, had to put her arms around him. If he didn't he wouldn't know, wouldn't know how truly bad this was.

"You've fucked me over so many times why now!? Why do this now!?"

She stared at the blood seeping from between her legs. Her belly was cold. There was no more movement. She was so scared she couldn't cry. The tears wouldn't come. This is what happened to her. This was her pain.

•••

Rogue awoke in a hospital. Even guild doctors had their limits. Surgery wasn't something they played around with. And where their baby was concerned he was willing to take any risks. If it meant life or death, Remy was willing to gamble. He had a steady enough hand to know right from wrong.

She pulled back the sheets to see the bloodstain that she had woken to the night before was now gone. And so was any face she would have recognized. Only blank walls and beeping machines. Tubes running from her arms and monitors whirring. She was fearful. She was alone.

"REMY!" she screamed. "REMY!"

Tears streamed down her face. "REMY!"

A nurse, kindly looking enough came rushing to her side.

"Sweetheart what's wrong? What do you need?"

"Where's Remy!? Where is my family!?"

"They're just outside sweetie, I'll go get them. I'll go get them." The kind nurse walked outside. Rogue could hear her orthopedic shoes squeak on the tile. But nothing else. It was empty. Like her it was empty. She couldn't stop the crying.

"Remy!" she whispered to herself. She wished she could see his face already, awaiting the smile she would have when he stepped foot in the door. She could hear them. Footsteps just around the corner. He probably had Mercy and Henri and Tante and maybe even Jean-Luc, they would know. They would all know why she felt empty. What had happened.

But there were only three pairs of footsteps. And none like the light footfalls of a thief, of three thieves of legend.

And then she saw a pair of tawny yellow eyes and a wisp of silver grey hair and she knew.

"Rogue," he said sternly as his perfect shoes graced the hospital floor.

The tawny eyes followed him in, slowly taking her into account. Making sure she hadn't changed since last they saw her.

"Darling, we were so worried," he got closer, he was at the edge of her bed now. She curled up defensively. She put her hands to her stomach instinctually but realized there was no point. She was empty.

"You have no idea the lengths your father and I have gone through to find you, my little dove," the tawny eyes pierced her lips flittering with lies.

"Where is he? You tell me where he is! You tell me!" she yelled. The nurse leapt.

"You can leave now Rose," Erik dismissed her. "There's no need to make a scene my darling Rogue."

"WHERE IS HE?! TELL ME NOW!"

"Arrangements were made. Things were taken care of. You don't have to worry about a thing my dear."

"WHERE IS MY BABY?!"

Raven reached over and gently touched Rogue's forehead as if taking her temperature. Rogue didn't see the way her hand disappeared to a small button beside her. Her vision started to fade.

"Shhhh now Rogue. Mama's here. There is no baby dear. Just us. There is nothing you need to worry about now. Just sleep. Sleep."

Rogue could feel nothing more. She couldn't see anything. Just emptiness. Black emptiness all around her and no flaming red eyes to come to her rescue. Not now. Maybe not ever.

•••

Remy pounded on the jail cell. How the hell did he end up here? The Guild paid the state for shit like this. For times like these. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let his guard down so low?

He knew things were going to shit when Irene showed up but for the love of God he didn't see them taking this kind of turn. He thought that they would just wait things out. Irene seemed to despise her sister and brother-in-law even more than she despised the thieves. But Gambit was stupid to think that ties of faith were thicker than ties of family. His was a testament to that.

He had spent the last hour trying to break his way out of the jail cell. Jean-Luc would be livid. Most would think because he couldn't break out of the cell, but that wasn't it. He hated being double crossed even if in this case it may have been provoked.

"Hey dickhead, wanna bring Darkholme-Lensherr back here," Gambit called to the guard sitting at the desk in front of him.

"Depends if you're gonna be nice and stay back from those bars pretty boy," the guard responded without looking up from the porn playing on his desktop.

Gambit went and sat on the cot, resting his head against the wall with his arms crossed and his legs lounged.

"Do I look feeble enough for an audience wit de oh so supreme leader?" he asked.

The guard looked up, rolled his eyes and dialed out.

"Yes… He's requesting to see you sir… Yes, I understand… Of course… Good day to you as well sir… I will."

He turned and looked at Gambit, sneering. "You're in for a treat."

Gambit clenched his teeth. "Oh goody."

When they had woken up that night, a couple of days after Irene's first visit Remy didn't know what to do. They had both read somewhere that bleeding early in the pregnancy could be normal. But it was no longer early in the pregnancy and such things only served to freak the two would be parents out.

He immediately called for the guild doctor and Tante Mattie, but she was out on duty, attending to a mishap with Theoren and a gator while on the job. The guild doctor confirmed that Rogue may be in labour but that these symptoms were more likely than not troublesome. His lack of experience with females and births showed.

So they drove to county general hospital. They had a few doctors there on the payroll. A safety net for any thieves that got caught in the municipal net and were sent there. Henri was out handling the Theo situation but Mercy came with.

All three sat through the emergency room. It was difficult giving any information. Remy knew better than to give them her real name or birthdate. He filled out the forms giving her the name Rogue Adler. Safer than before. He didn't realize how stupid that was. How ignorant it was, not claiming she was family. The doctors wouldn't let either Mercy or him see her.

She was rushed to surgery, Remy all the while on the verge of vomiting from worry. If he had eaten anything in the past 12 hours it would have ended up on Mercy's lap. She was stroking his hair like his mother used to when they got news.

"We're sorry to inform you, that we cannot give you any news of either the patient or the fetus."

"Why the hell not!?" Mercy spat. Remy's head snapped up from his knees.

"The next of kin has informed us that they don't want to disclose anything about the patient what with her status as a minor."

"What do you mean next of kin? We're the people she's been staying with." Remy asked. He wasn't sure if he was more confused or scared.

"I understand that sir but in the event that the patient is a minor and no next of kin is present the hospital is in charge of contacting them."

"Who the hell is her next of kin?!" Mercy said getting in the doctor's face.

"Her mother, Ms. Raven Adler."

Gambit waited in his cell. There were no windows. Just a cot and the cell bars. Criss-crossing so that his fingers couldn't even fit between the gaps. The guard smirked as he stood up and went to the door to buzz the visitor in.

Gambit twirled a single playing card between his fingers. He had forgotten that he left it in his pocket from a couple nights prior. How far away the game he had played with Rogue and his brother and his sister-in-law seemed.

The guard escorted the visitor to the cage. Gambit fixated on the Queen of Hearts and the subtle dance he was taking her on in between his fingers.

"Hello mate," the visitor said.

Gambit's scarlet eyes flamed, as he caught site of the scorching red hair and browns eyes with the smug smile plastered on his face.

"Hello, mon ami." He said standing up and banging on the cage.

"Whoever knew I could rattle your cage, eh mate."

Gambit growled. If he ever got out, the whole of the Darkholme-Lensherr family would regret it. Irene Alder would feel his wrath. He was a thief but on that night he would be an assassin.


End file.
